Never Let Me Go
by x.keepingthemoon.x
Summary: In the year 1912, all Jeff wants is another life. All Nick wants is someone to love. Niff!Titanic
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Glee and its characters do not belong to me. **

**Hello, everyone :)**

**I have been writing this for about a month now and it's almost done. I'm just finishing the last few chapters at the moment, and I will upload a new one every few days. **

**Although this is a Titanic/Glee story, it is not a crossover. All the characters you may recognise from the film in this story were real people, and I haven't used any of the original characters from the movie here.**

**That being said, I have done a fair bit of research on the Titanic to try and make this story as real as possible. Some things I have changed to suit the story, and I will let you know what is different. As this is set in 1912, I've tried to use language and clothing and such as they would have been used then.**

**Also, I don't really know much about either English or American culture, so if something doesn't make sense, it's because I'm not from either of those places. **

**The title is from the Florence + the Machine song, 'Never Let Me Go' which you may recognise from the Titanic miniseries.**

**By the way, in case you didn't see the pairing, this story will be slash. If that's not your thing then this probably isn't for you.**

**So yes, please enjoy and I would love to know what you think!**

* * *

Placing the last of his suitcases by the car, Jeff stretched his aching muscles, having just arranged his entire life into four bags. He'd made two separate trips to bring them outside into the courtyard where his family's luxury cars were waiting.

"Jeffery, darling, I told you to leave that for the workers." His mother Lydia gestured towards his suitcases. He rolled his eyes.

"Mother, I am quite capable of carrying a couple of bags." The thing about Jeff's parents was that if they didn't have to do something, they wouldn't. To his mother, it just made plain sense to leave all the work for their staff because that's what they were paid to do.

Turning his back on her, he passed his suitcases to the chauffer, who was busy organising all of the carry-on luggage into the two cars. The rest of his family's possessions had been delivered to the dock at Southampton the previous evening, where it was waiting to be loaded aboard the _Titanic._ Although he was privileged to be travelling aboard on the ship's maiden voyage, Jeff couldn't help but feel nostalgic about leaving England. He'd only been there a few months, but the quiet countryside had appealed to him much more than the bustle of New York. And now he was going back.

Hearing a commotion, Jeff shot a wary glance to his left where three of the staff were struggling with seven large ports. A blonde girl stood behind them, fussing over her luggage as though it were her lifeline.

He sighed as his eyes fell upon his nineteen year old fiancée, Brittany. Donned in a light blue evening dress, she had a large hat on her head, her blonde hair falling in waves around her shoulders. Jeff couldn't deny she looked beautiful, even if he didn't really want to marry her.

He straightened as a tall, fair-haired man strode in to view. Dressed in a sophisticated black suit, he looked every part the business man he was.

"Father," Jeff greeted him.

"Jeffery. Are we ready to go?" Without waiting for a reply, he turned towards the car where his wife and his son's fiancée were now both waiting.

Jeff sighed. Business as usual. He could hardly remember a time when his father had shown any sort of affection for him. He'd always been told that that's what makes a successful businessman – never letting emotions get in the way of success. And John Sterling was definitely an example of that.

Casting a longing glance around the place he'd called home for the past several months, Jeff drew in a deep breath and slipped into second waiting car with his father. He shouldn't let it get to him. After all, he'd moved around more times in his life than he cared to count. But he really would miss England, and he vowed to himself that he would return.

As the two cars rolled down the long driveway, Jeff closed his eyes and rested his head back against the seat, slipping into a deep sleep.

He was awoken by a firm hand upon his shoulder.

"Come on, Jeffery, get out. We're here."

Opening his eyes, Jeff looked out the car window and gazed upon the _RMS Titanic_. The surrounding streets were alive with thousands of people wanting to catch a glimpse of the enormous ship. Cars blocked the roads, and large cranes lifted tonnes of luggage into the air to go aboard the ship. Some people were screaming, others were laughing, some were crying.

The most anticipated event of the year had arrived.

As he slipped out of the car, Jeff looked back at the ship. Its sheer size was without a doubt the most impressive feature of it. Standing at one hundred and seventy-five feet tall, and over eight hundred and eighty-two feet long, it was the largest ocean liner built in history.

Of course, the grandeur of it all was the reason why the Sterling's were aboard in the first place. Jeff's parents had not hesitated to pay for the £870 tickets, thinking it to present a positive image for them to be known to be aboard. Wealth and power were the only things his parents were concerned with, and being aboard the _Titanic_, notably in First Class, was an indication of their wealth to every other patron.

Jeff straightened his suit jacket and walked over to where his family and fiancée were standing on the other side of the car, offering his arm to Brittany politely. His mother was gushing about the size of the ship to the girl, who looked seemingly unimpressed. But, Jeff thought, that was how she usually looked.

As they made their way to the first class entrance, his father stopped several times to greet the other upper class businessman.

"Ah, Mr Astor. A pleasure to see you again." His father nodded and shook hands with a tall man who Jeff had met several times over the years.

He leant in closer to Brittany's ear. "That's John Jacob Astor."

The blonde girl looked bored as she glanced up at Jeff and raised her eyebrows. "I _know_ who it is, Jeffery. My father and he are quite well acquainted." Raising her chin in the air, she slipped her arm out of his and walked forward to rejoin his mother.

_Great. Off to a good start already_.

After listening politely to his father's conversation for several minutes, Jeff excused himself and made his way to the boarding area where his mother and Brittany were waiting impatiently.

"Where is your father?" Mrs Sterling huffed. "We _must_ be one of the first to go aboard. What if someone delivers our luggage to the wrong rooms?"

"They won't, mother."

"They _could_ though, Jeffery. No doubt they hired only the most unemployed of the proletariats." She sneered at the word as if it was a disease.

Jeff looked away from his mother, his eyes resting on the large vessel. They'd called it 'The Ship of Dreams', and he desperately hoped it wasn't in vain. He had to escape this life, this meaningless existence where the idea of happiness was something to be scoffed at, where money was the centre of everyone's universe. He wasn't sure how long he could survive like this until he went insane.

As they boarded the ship, Jeff wished for something magical to happen. He looked around at the other first class patrons and all he saw were replicas of his mother and father. It was proof to him that no one could be happy when they were stuck in this life. And Jeff could only hope that he'd be able to get out, before the damage was irreversible.

But he had a feeling it was already too late.

* * *

Nick tapped his foot impatiently against the pavement. "Come _on_, Sebastian. Hurry up."

The tall boy a few metres away glanced up. "Hey! It's not my fault they insist on checking every inch of my scalp. It if was up to me I'd be on board the darn ship already – ouch!"

Nick rolled his eyes at his cousin's antics. Yes, they had been required to be checked for diseases and pests, but Sebastian's rebellious ways made the inspectors job that much harder. Nick's inspection had taken less than a minute because he'd stood still and kept his mouth shut. He could see the arrogant smirks on the inspector's faces as they purposely took twice as long looking over Sebastian.

When he was finally let go, muttering and cursing, he walked over to Nick, straightening his clothes and shooting glares at them.

Nick smirked in amusement. "You ready now?"

"Yes, Mr Duval. Now that they've ascertained that I don't have a rodent breeding pit or nits in my hair, I am ready."

"Good." Nick nodded his head, slinging his sack over his shoulder and starting to board the ship, only half listening to Sebastian's complaints.

"Honestly, I don't get _why _we have to go through the stupid Health Inspection anyway. Just because we may not be as well off as those rag dolls from First Class, it doesn't mean we're unsanitary! Look at them, just waltzing aboard with their little fluffy dogs and top hats." He put on a feminine voice, mimicking, "_Oh, look Mary. Little Fido has a knot in his fur_._ How very unfortunate_."

Nick shook his head, putting a ghastly look on his face. "Sebastian, I'm _sure_ that's not all they talk about. Are you forgetting the fine china and the cushions on the chairs?"

Sebastian laughed. "How could I possibly forget, Nicky?"

"How many times have I told you not to call me that!"

As Sebastian threw back another remark, Nick smiled at the playful banter between the two of them. As much of a pain as Sebastian was sometimes, they had a close relationship.

Stepping over the threshold aboard the ship, Nick looked up at the tall boy, a grin on his face. Making their way to E Deck, he felt the happiest he'd been in a long time. He nodded happily at other passengers as they passed them in the narrow, white corridors. As they found and entered their room, he turned to his cousin.

"We're going to _America_, Sebastian. America!"

"I know, little cousin. They'd better prepare themselves, because Sebastian Smythe and Nicholas Duval are about to wreak some havoc!"

Nick laughed, noticing one side of the small room was occupied with belongings. Looking at the empty bunk, he turned to Sebastian. "So, are we flipping to see who gets top bunk?"

The other boy's eyes widened, looking at the corner of the room. "What on earth is _that_?"

Nick spun around, trying to find what he was looking at. "What...?"

Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he turned back around to see Sebastian smirking at him from the top bunk of the bed.

"What's that you were saying about me having the top bunk, Nicky?"

Throwing his sack of belongings onto the lower bed, Nick grumbled. "Alright, fine. You win. I'll have bottom bunk."

Sebastian just smirked at him. "Love you, Nicky."

All he got in response was a groan.

* * *

**In real life, Third Class boarded first because there were so many of them, but I have changed this here. Also, the Astor's didn't board until Cherbourg.**

**I'd love to know what you thought! **


	2. Chapter 2

Jeff's eyebrows rose as he stepped into the First Class cabin he would be staying in, taking in the lavish interior. Much of the room was a dark, mahogany colour and was decorated with hand carved furniture made of teak, oak and maple. Elegant lights were fitted to the walls, several artworks scattered around. A settee matching the walls was placed in the centre of the living area of the cabin. A grand fireplace, chair and round table were also set out specifically around the room.

His mother walked in behind him. "Wow," she breathed, "How extraordinary."

Jeff had to admit it was beautiful. It looked to be fit for the king. Setting down his bag near the door, he moved off to inspect the other rooms in the cabin. The bathroom was a modern style, and had a bath tub and a marble sink, as well as a flushing toilet. The sitting room contained a small table, a couple of chairs, another fireplace and some large, circular wrought iron mirrors.

He turned as he heard someone enter the room, and watched as Brittany looked around the suite, eyebrow raised.

"It's actually quite nice," she said.

Jeff smiled at her. "It is." He paused. "Have you picked your bedroom yet?"

"Yes, it's about two doors down from yours."

He nodded, moving past her out of the room. "Very well."

After wandering through the remainder of the cabin, he picked up his bag and headed towards his room, placing it down on a maple trunk at the end of the bed. He closed the door behind him, resting against the tall bed post as he began to unpack his bag.

Hearing a knock on the door, he turned and opened it to find a young maid standing there with his luggage.

"The rest of your belongings, Mr Sterling." She dipped her head towards him.

"Thank you. Just leave them there, I'll handle them."

The young girl hesitated. His mother must have given her specific instructions.

"It's alright." He smiled at her. "I've got them."

Giving a small nod of her head, the maid turned away and disappeared back down the hall.

"Jeffery." He looked up several minutes later to see his mother standing in the doorway. "You can finish that later. We need to go and socialise with the other patrons."

"You mean the other First Class passengers?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Do not be smart with me, Jeffery. You know very well who we will be acquainting ourselves with on this journey."

"The ones with the money. Got it, _mum_."

A loud voice came from the hallway. "Jeffery, do not speak to your mother with such disrespect. Now come along."

As his parents moved from the doorway, Jeff sighed loudly. The boat hadn't even left the _dock _yet and they were already going to see whom they could form alliances with. Most of the passengers wouldn't even be aboard, let alone settled into their cabins.

Making his way to the main living area, he offered his arm to Brittany again, and the four of them headed out of the room towards the Reception Room. To anyone passing by, they would have seemed like the epitome of wealth – a middle aged man and woman dressed to the nines, a young man and woman walking behind them.

But Jeff knew that it ran deeper than that, for himself anyway.

His father, mother, and even Brittany all looked comfortable in their lives. They were right where they wanted to be.

On the inside, Jeff was screaming.

* * *

After he'd settled into his cabin – all 3X3 metres of it – Nick felt restless.

Sebastian had already left him, probably to go to the top deck and wave like crazy at the thousands that were crowding the streets. He could almost hear him shouting obscenities at them, '_Thanks for nothing, England!_', while waving with a huge smile on his face.

Nick had to laugh at the image. His cousin really was one of a kind.

Making an impromptu decision, he grabbed his paint set and a couple of blank canvases, deciding to head up there and paint a departure scene as the ship pulled away from the dock.

Walking out of the room and down the crew passageway, he thought about what America might bring to his life. Nick had never really believed in destiny, or fate, or anything like that, preferring to instead just take one day at a time. So he didn't like to assume that America would be _life-changing_. When _Titanic _docked in New York, he and Sebastian were just going to head off in whichever direction looked good enough. And that suited him just fine.

Reaching the top deck, he sat down on the nearest spare seat he could find just minutes before the ship was set to sail.

He lost himself in the painting, surrounded by hundreds of passengers whose lives were about to change forever.

* * *

Two hours later saw Jeff wanting to gouge his own eye out with a fork.

As soon as his parents had spotted Mr Andrews speaking with Captain Smith, they'd flicked the switch on their personalities from 'cold and distant' to 'friendly and impressive'.

They'd laughed and chatted with the men for a quarter of an hour, before both Mr Andrews and the Captain excused themselves to go about their duties.

And then Jeff had had the privilege of meeting Lady Sylvester for about the fifteenth time in his life.

He simply could not _stand_ the woman. The constant smirk on her face was enough to irk him even before she opened her mouth, and from there it only got worse. She was about as nice to him as a lion at feeding time. To most other people, she seemed like quite a civil, well-mannered person.

But Jeff knew better.

And her poor husband, William, seemed more like a doormat than an actual person – something for her to tread all over. For some reason, the man actually _tolerated_ it.

If Jeff ever became like that, so help him. He wouldn't know what to do to himself to end his misery.

If Brittany ever became like that, she'd have another thing coming.

Although, if he was honest with himself, she was probably already well on the way.

Jeff sighed as his parents fervently crossed the Reception Room to greet yet another unfortunate millionaire.

_I need to get out of here_.

He placed a casual hand upon his mother's shoulder. "Mother, I'm just stepping out quickly to use the amenities."

She smiled at him. "Very well, darling. Hurry back."

Nodding, he made his way out of the room and started towards the boat deck in the hope of getting some fresh air. He had no intention of hurrying back, if at all.

Walking through the luxurious corridors, he nodded and smiled at the other patrons as they passed, as he had been taught to do politely from a young age. The power and wealth of Jeff's family had meant that he attended countless dinner functions and business meetings, at which he had presented himself as a fine young man, capable of running one of the most successful and influential businesses in the modern world. As a child, Jeff had loved the seriousness and adultness of it all, but now he was growing sick of it. Only several months before, he'd seen past the glam and glitz of wealth and realised that the life his parents had set up for him was not the life that he wanted at all.

He hadn't even been onboard for five hours yet, and already he felt like he was suffocating.

His parents really had planned out his whole life for him. As a child, he had attended the most costly private boarding school in the whole of America, while his parents travelled for business. As an adolescence, he had become accustomed to going with his parents, learning of the successes and downfalls of the industry. And now, as he was set to take over one of the largest banking empires in the world, his parents had decided that he would promote a better image for the company if he was married. And so, they had handed him Brittany.

Brittany S. Pierce. The daughter of the most renowned lawyer in the whole of America, even though she and her father couldn't be more different. She wasn't the smartest young lady he'd ever met. On more than one occasion, Jeff had got the distinct impression that she was must have fallen out of the family tree. He'd once told his mother this, and she'd scorned him for the next half an hour about him having too much faith in his false sense of humour.

While they were growing up, Brittany had attended many of the same dinner functions that Jeff had, and both hers and Jeff's parents had strongly pushed them together. And when they had first met, there had been a slight attraction there. But now Jeff was marrying for money. His parents believed that marrying for wealth and power was more important than for love. So now Jeff was only seventeen years old and already dreading the life he had ahead of him.

He just wanted to meet someone and fall in _love_. He wanted to not have so much pressure placed upon him. He wanted to travel. He wanted to fall asleep at night wherever he could lay down, with the person he loved, happy with the life he had for himself.

Jeff sighed, pushing open the door leading out onto the deck and wrapping his coat tighter around himself as the harsh wind nipped at his body. He walked over to the side of the boat and leant forward, resting his forearms against the railing.

Jeff liked Brittany, well most of the time anyway, but he wasn't inlove with her. He knew how Brittany felt - she thought he was just a pathway to a large sum of money for her. She was not concerned about happiness, or love, at the end of the day she just wanted to be one of the most wealthy and powerful women in the world. And, when they were married, she would be.

Jeff couldn't help but loathe the life he had ahead of him. The pressure, the expectations, they would never end. He could not break free.

He looked up into the sky above him, an endless expanse of stars and planets. How insignificant he seemed in the whole scheme of things.

Sighing, he dropped his arms from the railing. Reaching one hand up to brush through his blonde hair, he turned his back on the sea, jumping as a male voice started him.

"No, wait, don't move!"

Jeff gasped, locating the source of the voice on the almost deserted deck. He put a hand to his heart in an effort to calm his racing pulse. A young man, probably no older than himself, was sitting behind him and to his left.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, no, it's quite alright," Jeff said, walking towards him. "But may I ask what you are doing?"

The man blushed and looked down, his brown hair falling into his eyes, covering his face. "I was painting you."

Jeff's eyebrows furrowed. "You were what?"

"Painting you."

"You were _painting_ me?"

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry."

Jeff considered this for a moment, wondering why anyone would want to paint _him_ of all people. "It's fine." He walked over to the boy, looking thoughtful. "But may I ask you why?"

As he spoke to the boy, he looked him over. His shaggy brown hair was grown out so that he had to keep flicking it out of his eyes, which were a hundred different shades of brown. His plain clothes - brown trousers and a white shirt which were a complete opposite to Jeff's suit - suggested that he was from Third Class.

In response to Jeff's question, the boy broke out a smile, and the blonde found himself mesmerised by it.

He thought over his words carefully. "Well, you see...I paint, as you may have guessed. And I was just passing by, and I saw you. I just knew that I had to paint you."

"But...why?" Jeff crouched down next to him, gasping as he saw what had been put on the canvas. His own figure leaning against the white railing, hands clasped together in front of him, alone on the brightly lit deck, the dark sea stretching out beyond him.

Jeff was speechless.

"Well, I saw you and I wondered how, on a ship with over two thousand passengers, you could look so _alone_."

Jeff gasped, looking at the painting again. "It...it's _beautiful_." Thinking for a moment, he added, "Why did you paint it like it was night time?"

The brunette shrugged. "I guess it made it seem more...emotional."

Jeff nodded. "It does." And it did. The darkness of the sea in comparison to the well lit deck made his solitary figure stand out even more. He shook his head in awe.

The boy looked a bit uncomfortable. "Uh, I don't really show anyone any of my paintings."

"Ever?"

"No."

"Oh. How come?"

He paused for a moment. "Well, I don't know. I just like keeping them to myself."

Jeff thought this over for a minute. "Well, that's fair enough. But you should sometime. They're really good. You could make money off these."

"You think so?"

He nodded. "Yeah." Holding out his hand, he added, "I'm Jeff."

The boy placed his hand in the outstretched one.

"Nick."

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Glee - I don't own it.**

* * *

Nick felt his pulse race as he heard the town clock strike twelve. Looking up from his painting, he gazed over England one last time.

_This is it._

He moved to an empty spot against the railing and looked at the scene before him. The midday sun shone down upon the people below, illuminating them and the emotions on their faces. Happiness, sadness, joy, bliss.

The deafening horns of the _Titanic_ blared as she began pulling away from the dock at Southampton, leaving behind thousands in the roaring crowds, all witnessing one of the greatest events in history.

Hundreds of passengers leaned over the edge of the ship, waving frantically at family and loved ones left in the masses below. Nick set down his painting and waved right along with them, even though he was leaving no one behind.

It was time to begin his new life, in America.

Nick stayed up on the top deck long after the other passengers had retreated inside. The coast was now just a dot on the horizon, so small that you could almost miss it if you didn't look well enough. He leaned against the railing, sometimes watching the rushing water beneath him, sometimes watching the brilliant blue sky above him.

He decided that this was all that he needed. As long as he had fresh air in his lungs, the feeling of sunshine on his skin and the clothes on his back, he would be content.

He would be happy.

Nick had always firmly believed that the simplest things in life brought the greatest happiness. As a young boy, he'd sometimes take his canvas and his paints and sit by the river for a whole day, just painting and revelling in the fact that he was _alive_.

He found it hard to believe that it would be possible to feel any more alive than he did right then. The sea breeze caught his unruly hair, flinging it into his eyes. The air was so fresh it almost seemed to burn his lungs. And the sunshine glowed upon his skin, spreading warmth throughout his body.

If Nick died right now, he'd die a content, happy man.

Moving away from the railing, he resumed his seat from the hour before when he was painting. He relaxed in the chair, leaning his head back so he was staring into the bright blue sky.

Slipping his eyes closed, he confirmed it in his head.

There was nothing more he needed in life than this.

When the warmth of the midday sun started to cool in the mid-afternoon, Sebastian found him, still in the same position.

Taking a seat beside Nick, he leaned back in the chair, sweeping his eyes across the ocean.

After several minutes of silence, Nick asked a question.

"Do you ever wish we'd grown up rich, Sebastian?"

There was a brief pause before the tall boy snorted. "Hardly. I can't imagine living life like those porcelain dolls." He turned towards Nick. "Do you know what the best thing about our lives are, Nick? They're unpredictable. If we were wealthy, we'd get up in the morning in our big mansion, have lunch with the same rich people, go to a first class dinner, and go to bed. It would be like living the same day over and over again, nothing ever changing. It would be like being stuck in a horrible nightmare."

He looked away, running a hand through his tidy hair.

"So no, I don't wish we'd grown up rich."

Nick was impressed. "Wow, Sebby, I never knew you could be so _deep_."

His cousin shoved him in the shoulder, before standing abruptly. "Alright, that's enough of that sentimental garbage. Are you hungry?"

Nick smirked at him and shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. You go ahead though. You know what they say, 'when the going gets tough the tough get going'."

"Hey, watch your mouth, Duval. I happen to not enjoy wasting time talking about feelings and stuff."

Nick laughed. "It's alright, Sebby, I won't hold it against you."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows, looking at him. "Don't call me that, _Nicky_."

Before Nick could reply, he smirked and turned on his heel, heading back down the deck.

Several minutes later, a Third Class family of six came to the top deck. Realising he'd been there long enough, Nick decided to pack up his paints and canvases and head back to his cabin.

The paint on the artwork long dry, he rolled it up and tucked it under his arm, picking up his paint case in his other hand. As he walked down the stairs to the next deck down, he noticed a blonde man leaning against the railing.

The look on his face...it just seemed so _sad _to Nick. Like the weight of the world was upon his shoulders. Noticing the classy sleek, black suit he was wearing, Nick assumed he was from First Class.

Sitting down behind and to the left of the man, he took out his paints and unrolled a spare canvas. Losing himself in the work, he startled even himself when the man began to move away from the railing and he yelled at him.

The shocked man, no..._boy_ turned around to stare at Nick.

And all Nick could think about was how handsome he was.

* * *

Taking a seat beside Nick, Jeff looked at him thoughtfully.

"How long have you been painting for? You're really talented."

Nick ducked his head at the compliment. He never usually let anyone see his paintings, so when someone complimented him on them, he just wasn't quite sure how to react.

"Uh...I guess for about eight years or so? I'll be turning eighteen next month, so since I was about ten years old."

Jeff nodded. "You're amazing." Realising what he'd said, he added quickly, "The painting, I mean." Now he just sounded rude. "Not that you're not an amazing person, you probably are. Uh, I just meant that you paint really well..."

Nick laughed. "It's ok, I know what you meant."

Jeff nodded and laughed. "I've always had a way with words."

"So I see."

"My mother used to tell me that I could never rely on them to get me anywhere in life."

Nick snorted. "Lovely."

A comfortable silence fell over them for several minutes before Jeff's curiosity got the better of him.

"So...what are you heading to America for?"

Nick sighed. "Well, I don't have anything left here. I just thought, why not, you know?"

Jeff didn't know. He'd never had the freedom to decide something like that, to pursue things he wanted.

"My family," he swallowed, "we used to own a bakery. It wasn't big, and we didn't make that much money, but it was just enough to help us by. We lived in a little cottage that was half fallen down, and when he wasn't working, my father used to fix it up, bit by bit. Some days I'd help him. We weren't rich by any means, or even well-off, so my father and mother used to look at the house and feel _proud_. It was just...I don't know. It was a beautiful feeling to put so much work into something that every human deserves the right to own." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, one afternoon after we'd closed the bakery for the day, my father forgot to lock the back door. It was ransacked that night. Everything was destroyed; all our hard earned money was stolen. We had no choice but to close it down. We were broke. It became a struggle to even get enough food for us to eat. And then, a couple of months ago, both my parents died from a bad case of influenza. I had it too, but I was younger, and fitter, so I pulled through." He looked up and met Jeff's eyes. "Sebastian, my cousin, he's the only family I have left now."

Jeff was silent for a moment. "I'm really sorry, Nick."

Nick just nodded. There was another short silence before he spoke. "So, what's your story?"

"My father is the founder of Sterling Banks. We came over to England about six months ago to open up several branches here."

Nick whistled. "Wow, so you're the son of John Sterling. You're practically royalty on this ship."

Jeff rolled his eyes, sighing. "Yeah, well now we're headed back to America, where he's going to open up _more_ branches, and I'm going to get married."

"Who's the lucky lady?"

"Brittany Pierce."

Nick frowned, "You don't sound too happy about that."

"I'm not."

"Oh. How come?"

Jeff hesitated. He shouldn't be dumping this all on Nick, after all, he barely knew the boy. But there was just an openness about Nick that made him feel lighter. Jeff realised that maybe someone actually _cared_. "Well...my parents are all about wealth. Don't get me wrong, they love me, but they believe that a marriage should be entirely advantageous."

Nick's eyebrows rose.

"Brittany's family is very wealthy, and so is mine. My parents just think that money _is_ happiness."

There was a silence for a moment until Nick spoke up. "And what do you think?"

"I think...money is just money. Just a slip of paper with some ink on it. It doesn't give you _anything _except a sense of false security and self-conceitedness."

Nick's eyes softened as he listened to Jeff speak.

"Is it too much to ask to just be alive and healthy? My whole life, I've grown up around rich adults who don't care about anything if they don't have money. Not even their own _family_. Family! It's the most important thing in this whole entire world, and they don't even care. I just can't _comprehend_ growing up like that." Jeff looked at him with passion-filled eyes. "Why can't I be different, Nick? I just want to go where life takes me! I want to sit on the beach in the morning and watch the sun rise; I want to fall asleep at night wherever I can find the space to lay down. I want to fall in _love_. I don't want to marry someone just because their family has money, Nick. I hate money, it ruins lives." Jeff paused. "It's ruined _my_ life."

He looked to Nick, who sat there speechless.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be placing all this on you."

"No, it's alright. Better out than in I always say." Nick grinned at him.

Despite his depressing life story he'd just told, Jeff couldn't help but smile back at him. "You're a glass-half-full kind of guy, aren't you?"

"I try to be. There's no point moping around forever about things that are out of your control." He shrugged. "After my parents died, well, yeah, I was sad for a while. Don't get me wrong, I miss them like crazy, and I still am really sad about it at times, but I have to get on with life. Death _is_ a part of life. My parents wanted me to live my life to the fullest, so long as I was happy, and that's exactly what I plan on doing."

"Wow," Jeff breathed. "Your parents sound like amazing people."

Nick smiled. "They were. If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't change a single thing in my life. Everything that I've experienced has got me to where I am today. I've got no money and no home. All the possessions I have are kept in the one sack I have with me on this ship, but I couldn't be happier."

Jeff could only shake his head in awe. "I want that."

"It's fantastic."

Nick smiled at Jeff, and a comfortable silence fell over them as they sat side by side, staring out over the ocean.

* * *

When the bells sounded for dinner as the sun began to set that evening, Jeff stood reluctantly. "Well, I have to go. My mother must be going out of her _mind_ at the moment."

Nick looked at him, confused. Jeff grimaced. "I may or may not have told her three hours ago that I was going to the bathroom." He shuddered. "I couldn't stand talking to those people any longer!"

Nick laughed at him. "It's ok, I have to head to dinner too."

They stood looking at each other for a moment, neither sure how to continue.

Nick began. "Well, Jeff, it's been lovely to meet you." He held out his hand for him to take.

"Yes, you too, Nick." Shaking his hand, Jeff hesitated. "Uh...do you think you'd maybe like to meet me in the morning?"

Nick smiled at him, more relieved than he let on. "I'd love to. How about right here, after breakfast?"

"Sounds great." Jeff beamed as he turned to leave. "I'll see you in the morning then."

Nick gave him a small wave. "See you then."

As he watched Jeff's retreating figure, Nick thought that maybe, just maybe, America would be ok after all.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Glee.**

**This one is a bit shorter, so I might upload the next chapter faster than I usually would.**

* * *

Seeing the fierce look on his mother's face as he walked into the first class Dining Room on D Deck that evening, Jeff began to think he maybe should have stayed away. The presence of other patrons at the table prevented his mother from being stern with him, but the raw anger he could see in her eyes gave him a fair indication of what was to come.

She gave him a tight-lipped smile as he approached. "Jeffery, darling, wherever have you been?"

"Hello, mother. Good evening." He nodded to the others at the table as he took a seat. "I was simply taking your advice, getting acquainted with some of the other passengers."

She sent him a look that clearly said they were not finished with the subject. "Excellent, dear."

He turned to Brittany, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hello, darling."

Mr Figgins' voice piped up from the across the table. "Teenagers," he laughed, "You can never rely on them to be punctual."

"Maybe Jeffery was rendezvousing with a young lady somewhere," Lady Sylvester said, "He is a teenager after all."

"Don't be ridiculous." His mother's voice was sharp. "Jeffery is happily engaged to Brittany here."

The blonde lady around the table looked into Jeff's eyes, taking a sip of her wine. "I have no doubt."

This was getting out of hand. "I was just introducing myself to some of the other passengers." Jeff's voice was confident, but he could feel his mother's eyes on his face. He avoided looking at her, unsure of what he would see.

Turning to Brittany he asked, "How has your afternoon been, dear?"

She looked at him through narrowed eyes. Great. Now she was getting ideas from the old dragon lady. "Fine."

Well. This was going to be a fun night.

* * *

Soon after dinner was finished, the men retired to the First Class Smoking Room on A Deck. Realising he couldn't avoid them again, Jeff tagged along, listening to an arduous conversation about politics for the next two hours as they passed around cigars and port.

Jeff listened politely, adding his opinion when asked, laughing when he should have.

At around ten thirty that night, as they were walking back to their cabin, his father grabbed onto Jeff's elbow, bringing him to a stop in the hall.

"Jeffery," he began, "It is very important that you make a good impression on these men."

Jeff nodded. "I'm trying, father."

"I can see that, son. But you must remember what is at stake here. The future of our empire will one day be in your hands." With a curt nod at him, his father began walking again.

"I know, father." Jeff sighed. "I know."

When they arrived back at their cabin, Jeff was greeted by his mother.

"Jeffery, would you please explain to me exactly _what_ transpired at dinner tonight?"

He sighed. "Mother, you must not listen to Lady Sylvester. You know she says nothing but rubbish."

"You will show some respect to Lady Sylvester, Jeffery." John Sterling's rough voice sounded from behind him.

"But it's true!"

"That's beside the point." His mother shook her head. "Did you actually meet up with a young lady?"

"No! Of course I didn't. I'm to be married to Brittany, and I would never be unfaithful to her."

"Well then _who_ were you with, Jeffery? We were in the Reception Room all afternoon and we talked with a large majority of the first class passengers."

"I met a boy up on deck. He's my age. We lost track of time."

"What's his name?"

"Nick. Nicholas."

His mother paused. "Who are his parents? Have we met them?"

"No, they are not on board."

"A young boy, on board without his parents? Who are his guardians?"

Jeff looked up at his mother, deciding to just tell her and get it over with. "He doesn't have guardians, mother. He's from Third Class."

She looked at him sharply. "What have I _told_ you about staying away from Third Class civilians, Jeffery?"

"Oh Lydia, leave the poor boy alone. He was just making friends." His father spoke up again. "Besides, it doesn't matter anyway. It's not like he'll ever see him again after the ship docks."

Jeff hadn't thought of that. He _wanted_ to know Nick, to see him again.

"Of course it matters," his mother snapped. "We can't have everyone see Jeff hanging around with that boy! They'll think we make a habit of befriending the poor commoners."

"Oh mother, stop it. Just because Nick doesn't have any money it doesn't make him less of a human than we are."

She raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's a matter of opinion."

Gritting his teeth, Jeff spat out, "I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

He spun around sharply and headed down towards his room, brushing by Brittany who'd been standing in the doorway listening.

Closing the door to his bedroom a little more forcefully than he should have, Jeff sighed and sat down on his bed, rubbing his face with his hands.

He still wasn't sure if his friendship with Nick would outweigh the pressure on him from his mother. Maybe the acquaintance would be over before it even really began.

But when he imagined Nick's face in his head, his shaggy brown hair falling into his eyes, he was fairly sure it wouldn't be.

* * *

"Nicky, where've you been?" Sebastian looked up as his cousin entered their small cabin.

Noticing the two other boys in the room, Nick nodded to them, ignoring Sebastian's question. "Hey, I'm Nick."

The shorter of the two, a well-built blonde, stood to shake his hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sam. This here is Finn." He gestured to the tall, brawny boy lying on the top bunk, who waved a hand in greeting. "He's my brother. Don't let his lack of intelligence turn you off, though." Sam leaned closer to Nick and whispered, "I'm the smart one."

Finn protested loudly from the bed. "Oi! I heard that. At least I can attract all the ladies."

"You just keep telling yourself that, mate." Sam laughed at him and Sebastian joined in.

"So, Nicky. You think you can answer my question now? I've only seen you like twice since we boarded eight hours ago. What on earth have you been doing?"

"I met someone."

Sebastian whistled.

"No, not like _that_, you idiot. I met him up on deck, and we got talking."

"Ah, so it's a _him_, then. I must admit Nicky, I didn't see that one coming."

Nick rolled his eyes. "I will never understand the inner workings of your brain, Sebastian."

From the bed opposite, Sam laughed. "It's ok, Nick. We don't mind if you're into guys. Finn here's brainless, I'm an athletic stud, and Sebastian's...well, I still haven't quite decided what he is, but I'll let you know. So if you bat for the other team, it's not up to us to judge."

Finn's head perked up. "Baseball? I love baseball!"

Sam bowed his head humbly. "I rest my case, gentlemen."

"You know what, Sam?" Sebastian looked thoughtful. "I like you. I think we're going to get on just fine."

All Nick could do was sigh in exasperation. Sebastian had a way of turning everything he said against him, creating more allies in the process to provide an endless amount of teasing for Nick.

Most of the time, Nick loved his cousin.

But sometimes he just hated him.

* * *

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**:)**


	5. Chapter 5

At breakfast the next morning, the tension between Jeff and his mother was so thick that Jeff was fairly certain he couldn't cut through it with an axe. After slipping out as his mother was looking the other way, he headed to the deck to wait for Nick. The older boy showed up several minutes later, wandering up the deck with his hands tucked into his pockets.

"Hey," Jeff began, "You came."

"Said I would, didn't I? I always stick to my word, Jeffery." He stuck out his chest proudly, his hands on his hips. Jeff laughed at his behaviour.

Nick grinned. "So how's life in First Class?"

"It's not all it's cracked up to be." Jeff put a shocked look on his face. "Did you know that just this morning I noticed that my meals _weren't _being served on Royal Doulton?" He screwed up his nose exaggeratedly. "Please, if I'm going to pay £870 for a ticket, I at least expect only the best china."

Nick gasped in horror. "I know _exactly_ what you mean! There are rats in the cupboard in my room. You would think that if nothing else my £3 ticket would cover _rodent_ removal."

Jeff scoffed. "And here was I, naively thinking we were on the best ship in the world."

Nick rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Honestly."

They laughed, looking out over the calm ocean for several moments.

"So, what would you like to do this morning?" Jeff turned to Nick. "We can stay out here, or go inside. Whatever you want."

The older boy thought for a moment. "Hmm. It is quite fresh out here. Perhaps we could find somewhere inside?"

Jeff grinned. "Well, come on then, Nicholas. Grab your suit. I'm taking you on a tour of First Class!"

Nick looked down at his white shirt and trousers. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"_Nicholas_, please. You won't even make it off the deck before they kick you right back to steerage." Jeff raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you own a suit?"

"No."

"Here then." He took off his jacket and handed it to Nick. "You can have this until we make it to my cabin."

"Your cabin?"

"Yes. I'm sure one of mine will fit you; we seem to be the same size."

Nick pulled on Jeff's jacket, doing up the buttons. He spun around, holding out his hands. "How do I look?"

"You could almost pass for a gentleman!"

Nick took a small bow. "Why thank you, Mr Sterling."

"Come on, you oaf." He grabbed Nick by the shoulders. "You've got people to meet!"

Leaving the deck, they headed to the starboard side of B Deck.

Nick looked over at Jeff incredulously. "You're in one of the _millionaire_ suites?"

"Yep." Jeff rolled his eyes. "All my parents' doing."

As they stepped into the cabin, Nick whistled. "Wow. This is by far the most elaborate room I've ever been in." He hesitated by the door.

"What's wrong?" Jeff looked at him.

"I don't want to dirty the carpet with my Third Class feet."

Jeff laughed, grabbing his hand. "Come on, this way."

Nick was all too aware of Jeff's warm palm in his as they made their way through the cabin.

He liked it.

He liked it a _lot_.

Entering his room, Jeff dropped Nick's hand casually and headed over to his closet, rifling through the suits. "Here, this one should do." He handed it to Nick. "You can get changed in here."

"Thanks." When Jeff moved out of the room, Nick pulled off his own clothes and changed into the suit. The black material of the jacket fit firmly around his shoulders, making them appear broader and more defined. The pressed sleeves ended at his wrists, the perfect length for his arms. The trousers buttoned snugly at his waist, the material falling down his legs and coming to a stop just below his ankles. Nick shook his head in wonder. The suit was obviously top of the range. The soft fabric was like nothing he'd ever felt before. There was not a stitch out of place, no loose thread to be found.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he was impressed. He never would have thought he'd be _here_, on the _Titanic_, in one of the millionaire suites, wearing a suit. Nick shook his head again, this time in disbelief. Sometimes life took you places and when you got there you just wondered _how_ you got there. For Nick, this was definitely one of those times. He almost had to laugh at the absurdity of it all. He'd never been wealthy for a day in his life, yet here he was in one of the most extravagant suites on the whole of the ship, where not even a majority of the First Class patrons would have the opportunity to be.

Looking at his feet, Nick realised his old brown shoes might not go well with the suit. "Hey Jeff?"

The other boy looked up from where he sat when he heard his name being called. "Yeah?"

There was a short pause. "Can I borrow some of your shoes?"

"Yeah sure, take what you like."

Nick nodded, even though Jeff wasn't even in sight. He walked to the mahogany wardrobe and pulled open the doors, smiling in amusement as he did so. There were nine pairs of shoes lined up along the rack in the closet. Each pair was exactly the same, perfectly polished black leather. Considering the pair Nick knew Jeff had on his feet at the moment, there were ten pairs of shoes, all an exact replica of the others.

Nick shook his head once again. If this was any indication of Jeff's life, he was certainly glad he wasn't wealthy. He pulled out a pair on the end and slipped his feet into them, marvelling at the extreme comfort he found.

He bent down, picking up his own clothes and bundling them up before placing them under Jeff's bed, reminding himself to collect them later.

Brushing his hands down the front of the jacket, he walked out to where Jeff was waiting in the sitting room, elbows resting on his knees. He looked deep in thought, his fair hair falling gently in his face. Glancing around, Nick realised something. "Where's your family?"

Jeff looked up, his eyes gluing to Nick as he realised he'd entered the room. _Stunning_, he thought.

When he didn't answer, Nick raised his eyebrows.

"Oh! Uh...I think they're in the Reception Room, probably." He looked around the room, trying to keep his eyes off Nick.

Nick smirked. "Right...See something you like, Jeffery?"

When he saw the shocked look on Jeff's face, Nick laughed. "Relax, Jeff, I'm just joking."

Jeff swallowed. Hard. He _had_ seen something he liked. Clearing his throat, he stood up. "Come on then, we've got a tour to go on."

Nick nodded. "Oh, yeah, sorry I took so long. I couldn't work out which pair of shoes would go the best." He smirked.

Jeff rolled his eyes as he paused to let Nick pass him out the door. "Of course you couldn't."

* * *

Several minutes later they walked into the First Class Reception Room, the two men controlling the doors greeting them as they did so.

"This," Jeff said, "is the Reception Room. I thought we'd get the hardest part over with first."

"Oh, good." Nick looked around at the lavish room. There was definitely no room like it for Third Class use. The ceilings were high, crystal chandeliers hanging down from them. The room itself was over fifty feet long and was decorated in the Jacobean style, reflecting the status of the patrons who used it. The ceiling was white, contrasting the rusty coloured carpet found below.

Nick's eyes wandered over the many well-dressed passengers that occupied the room. "So, who's who in this joint?".

Jeff laughed. "Hmm, let me see..." He looked around the room. "You see that tall man over there in the dark suit?"

"Where?"

"Over there! The tall man."

Nick looked over at Jeff as if the blonde was slow. "Jeffery, when I look around the room, _all _I see are tall men in dark suits."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Oh, I'm _sorry_. Nicholas, do you see that tall man in the dark suit over there standing by the small brunette girl in the red gown?"

Nick looked around again. "Ah, _that_ man," he scoffed. "I simply don't understand _why_ I didn't spot him before!"

"Excuse me, sir. If you could kindly cut out the sarcasm, it would be greatly appreciated. _You _wanted to know."

"Right, of course. Please, continue on."

Jeff mock glared at him. "Anyway, that is John Jacob Aster, the richest man on the ship. He owns over _seven hundred_ primetime properties in Manhattan, and is the chairman of over twenty different companies. That's his wife Madeleine. She's our age."

"Wow. Well he thinks he's someone, doesn't he?"

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Well, he is. Some say he's easily the richest man on earth." He paused. "And there, that man by the long table. That's Mr Andrews. He designed the ship."

Nick nodded as he continued.

"And the man he's talking to in the navy suit is Mr Ismay, the president of White Star Line."

Looking around the room, he laughed suddenly. "Ooh, see that small American-Indian man over by the appetisers? That's Mr Figgins. He struck gold out west last year." Jeff scoffed. "Not that he'd know a lump of gold from a bar of soap. Apparently he had it sitting on his office desk at his house as a sculpture for _months_ before someone told him."

Nick snorted.

Jeff stilled, planting a fake smile on his face and lifting his arm in a polite wave. Nick looked over to see a lean blonde lady smirk and wave back at him.

"Hmm, what have we here?"

Jeff huffed. "_That's_ Lady Sylvester. Horrible lady. She's always after some sort of gossip or scandal. Thrives on the stuff."

"She looks lovely," Nick added sarcastically.

"Can't say I've met a _nicer_ woman. That man standing beside her, that's her husband, William. Though I can't understand for the life of me why he's with her. Every time she's opened her mouth to talk to him, all she's done is insult his hair."

Nick looked perplexed. "What's wrong with his hair?"

"Beats me. Something about pygmy children living in it?" He shook his head. "Anyway, they're the main people. Well, other than the captain, Edward Smith. But I guess he's probably off doing whatever captains do." He paused. "Well , I hope he is."

Nick just laughed. "Come on then, Jeff. We've got a tour to finish."

* * *

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	6. Chapter 6

"Are your parents in here?" Nick whispered as they walked through the Reception Room.

Jeff looked around briefly, his eyes scanning the many passengers milling about the room. "Hmm, I don't think so. They must be up on deck. Brittany's probably with them too."

Nodding and smiling at the occasional familiar face, he led Nick towards the door on the opposite side of the room to where they entered.

"See that door there?" He pointed to his left. "That leads into the Dining Room. But there's a chance my family may be in there, so I think we'll skip that room for now."

Nick nodded. "Alright then."

As they walked through the doors out of the room, a large staircase came into view, dark railings curving both up and down.

"And this," Jeff said, "is the Grand Staircase Foyer."

Nick paused, looking around the extravagant room. A wrought iron and glass skylight hovered above the staircase, allowing the sunshine to float into the room, adding a light touch to the deep walls. His eyes fell upon a large clock with the classical figures of Honour and Glory carved around it on the level just above where they were standing. "Wow, that's really something."

"Yeah. See the clock? It's made from hand-carved mahogany. This is where you come if you want to _really_ make an entrance."

They walked slowly up the stairs towards the clock, Nick running his hands along the dark, smooth balustrade. "So what floor are we on at the moment?"

"D. The staircase starts right from the First Class Entrance on the boat deck and goes down to accommodations on E deck."

Nick looked thoughtful. "Well that's a bit of a hike. Are you sure you wouldn't scuff your shoes along the way?"

"Oh, you think you're so funny, Mr Duval."

Nick smirked. "I do try."

They headed slowly up the staircase, walking in silence as they both took in the interior. When they made it to C Deck, Jeff stopped and gestured towards a small door several metres along to the left. "That room over there is the Barbers."

Nick looked over incredulously. "I'm sorry, the _Barbers_? Who on earth needs their hair cut on a week-long boat trip?"

Jeff laughed. "Well, sometimes the women like to have their hair styled, for dinner and such. Plus," he added, "we're on the _Titanic_. I'm sure she'll have courses that take longer than a week."

Watching as Nick shook his head, Jeff laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Come on, there's lots more to see still. We're not even _close_ to the gymnasium yet!"

* * *

Three-quarters of an hour later, they stepped out onto the deck into the gentle sunlight, having finished the rather long tour. Nick had several times had to shut his mouth after it fell open, amazed at the sheer expense of all of the First Class facilities. He'd never have thought that the ship could possibly be so extravagant. But, he now knew that it was. There was a swimming pool, Turkish baths and a tennis court, as well as a dark room for photographers, kennels for the First Class dogs, and elevators. _Elevators_. Nick hadn't been able to conceal his wonder as Jeff had taken him between floors in one. He'd never experienced anything like it, as they were typically only used in upper class places. The gentle hum and the wrought iron doors had made him stand in the small area with his mouth ajar, Jeff sniggering from beside him at the look on his face.

And then there were the rooms. The Dining Room, which Jeff had taken him back to see, was an elegant room, the tables set neatly and the chairs padded comfortably. It was another Jacobean-styled room, and could easily fit at least five hundred people in it. The Smoking Room was a large, dark room scattered neatly with tables and chairs, a large fireplace situated in the heart of it. And then there had been the À La Carte restaurant, the Veranda Café, and the Café Parisian. Nick really could not see the use of having so many rooms where passengers could socialise and eat. Although he could definitely see the appeal of the grandeur that he'd seen on the tour, Nick shuddered at the thought of living like that. He'd surely suffocate amidst the cups of tea and the cigars, not to mention the port.

Nick held open the door as Jeff stepped onto the deck ahead of him, shivering slightly at the change in temperature. He was quite surprised at how warm he felt in the dark suit, the sleek fabric having an unexpected warmth to it.

They moved to the rail, looking out over the choppy ocean. The bright noise of children laughing and adult conversations moved in the air around them, travelling up and down the deck in the breeze. It seemed as though many passengers had the same idea, soaking up the sunlight in the cool morning, enjoying the fresh air.

Nick turned to Jeff. "I still can't get over those elevators."

"They're pretty amazing, aren't they?"

The older boy nodded, a genuine excitement taking over his face.

"Well," Jeff said, laughing as he glanced around, "it's only ten-thirty. What would you like to do now?"

Nick thought for a moment before shrugging. "I could show you around steerage. I mean, it's no First Class area, but I think you'll like it."

Jeff nodded. "Sounds good."

"Plus, you'll get to see how the other half live."

"What other half?" He nudged Nick's shoulder with his.

Nick grinned at him, his eyes squinting slightly in the morning sun.

They walked along the deck in a comfortable silence for several moments.

"So," Jeff began, "What are your plans once we arrive in America? You told me why you were going, but you didn't tell me what you were going to do."

Nick looked up, his eyes sweeping across the ocean for a moment before meeting Jeff's eyes. "Well, once we dock, Sebastian and I are just going to pick up our bags and walk in whichever direction looks good enough. There are no plans; we're just going to take life one day at a time."

Jeff was silent. "That sounds...amazing."

"It is." Nick looked at him. "You could tag along if you like, but I'm afraid you'd have to leave all of your suits behind, and your ties, and your polished shoes..."

"Cufflinks?"

Nick shook his head. "Sorry."

Jeff laughed briefly, before turning serious again. "I wish I could."

"Why don't you?"

"I'd never be able to get away." He swept his arm around in front of him. "All of this is my lot in life, and I've just got to accept it whether I like it or not. It seems I've drawn the short straw." He shrugged. "I should feel blessed though that I'm alive and healthy when there are millions in the world who are sick and dying. But all I can think is 'why me?' It's selfish, I know."

Nick shook his head, his voice low. "It's not selfish to want a better life for yourself, Jeff."

"Thanks Nick." Jeff smiled, not quite reaching his eyes.

Continuing through the ship, they made their way down to the crew passageways. Nick came to a stop when they reached a door near the end of one of the halls, the mood suddenly lighter.

"Welcome to my humble abode." Swinging open the door, he stepped inside to find the room empty.

"Oh, wow. It's, uh...nice?" Jeff stammered and looked at Nick sheepishly.

Nick laughed. "Well, it's no millionaire suite, but it does the job. I've got a bed and three idiot roommates. It's not half bad."

Jeff looked around, laughing at Nick. "It's quite cosy, actually...and very relaxed." He nodded his head. "I like it."

"When you look past the rats, and the plain white walls and the creaky bunk beds, she's a good little thing." He took a seat on his bed and Jeff moved so that he was leaning against the opposite one.

"So what's on the go tonight?" Nick looked up to where Jeff was standing.

"Well, my mother has insisted we have a grand dinner with some of the other wealthy businessmen and their wives."

Nick's eyebrows rose. "Well that sounds like fun."

"Should be," Jeff said, his voice full of sarcasm. "So what are you doing, then?"

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know what the best thing about Third Class is, Jeff? They sure know how to party."

Jeff laughed, flicking his fair hair out of his face. "I have no doubt."

"So tonight I'll be drinking all the free beer I can get my hands on and dancing like it's the last day on Earth."

Both boys laughed, the sound echoing in the small room.

Suddenly the door swung open.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Sebastian entered the room, his trademark smirk on his face. He stopped when he noticed what Nick was wearing. "Is that...a suit?"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Jeff, this is Sebastian, my cousin. Sebastian, this is Jeff."

"Ah, so this is the reason my little cousin had a smile on his face all last night? You must be some boy, Jeff."

Nick's face turned red. "Sebastian!"

"It's nice to meet you, Sebastian." Jeff ducked his head, his face also red.

The tall boy smirked again, noticing the shades their faces turned. "Likewise."

Pretending the awkwardness in the room was non-existent, he continued on. "So, Nick. The suit? You look like one of those First Class dummies."

"Sebastian!" Nick yelled again, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand.

Jeff looked up. "Uh...I was showing Nick around the First Class rooms."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You're from First Class? Sorry. I don't mean that you're a dummy. I mean, I don't have any evidence that you're _not_, but Nicky here mustn't think you are."

Nick rolled over, burying his face in his pillow. "Sebastian!"

"Oops, sorry little cous."

"You don't sound sorry." Nick looked up at him, embarrassment written all over his face.

Sebastian shrugged casually. "Eh, I could care more. There's nothing better than making you uncomfortable. Anyway," he said, changing the topic before Nick could speak again, "What are you boys up to?"

Jeff, who had watched the scene in quiet amusement, spoke up. "Nick was just showing me around steerage."

"Ah. Well that won't take too long. If you've seen one long, white corridor, you've seen them all." Sebastian straightened up from where he'd been leaning against the wall. "Anyway, it's lunchtime. Who's hungry?"

Nick's eyes lit up. Ignoring his cousin's question, he jumped up off the bed. "Hey, Sebastian!"

The tall boy eyed him curiously, eyebrow arched questioningly. "Yeah?"

"I went in an elevator!"

Jeff laughed.

* * *

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**If you have a spare minute, I'd really appreciate knowing what you think :)**


	7. Chapter 7

When Sebastian extended his offer of lunch, Jeff declined. As much as he didn't want to, he needed to face up to his responsibilities and spend the afternoon as he knew would be expected of him. He bid farewell to Nick, who promised to return the suit later, and made his way from steerage towards the Dining Room.

He was surprised upon entering the Dining Room to see just his mother, father and Brittany at a small round table. Approaching them, he sat down in the spare seat and looked around.

"Jeffery! I'm glad you're here. We decided that we needed to have a family meal together, just the four of us." His mother smiled at him.

Jeff nodded. "Sounds good." Although he wasn't sure whether the conversation would head into his whereabouts that morning, he was glad that he didn't have to laugh and talk politics with people he knew but wished he didn't.

Soon after, his father began telling him of Mr Astor's newest property in America, and Jeff was pleased to find that he didn't mind having a conversation when he wasn't in the presence of others. It was much easier to concentrate on the topic when he wasn't constantly minding his behaviour, conscious of the pressure upon him in public.

When his mother finished telling Brittany about the price of the rock on the finger of one of the young women, she turned to him.

"Darling," she began, "I think it would be wonderful if you and Brittany would take a stroll around the deck this afternoon. You've had hardly any time together since we boarded the ship yesterday morning. I think that both of you being in each other's presence would be beneficial for your image around the other men and women."

"It's true, Jeffery," his father added, "It is very important that you are viewed as a united front, especially considering your future in the business."

Jeff nodded curtly. "That sounds lovely, doesn't it Britt?"

"Yes, I could do with some fresh air." She smiled at him, and Jeff was shocked to see that it looked genuine. Maybe she was starting to warm up to him a bit more.

Maybe.

* * *

Thirty minutes later found the two of them strolling down the boat deck, Brittany's hand perched delicately in the crook of Jeff's elbow. The afternoon sun was shining down on them warmly as the sea breeze caught in their hair, loose strands blowing into their eyes. The crashing of the waves was a gentle hum in the background.

"It's a lovely day, isn't it?" Jeff turned his face upward, soaking in the sunlight.

Brittany's voice was distracted and distant. "Yes, I rather suppose it is."

Jeff turned to her. "What's wrong?"

The blonde girl sighed. "Look, Jeff. There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about." She moved slowly over to the edge, placing her hands upon the railing. Jeff followed, his eyebrows furrowed.

Brittany hesitated for a moment, looking out over the ocean. "Do you love me?"

Jeff paused. He'd thought it was fairly obvious that he didn't love Brittany like he should, but it was also clear she didn't love him that way either. "Britt, I _do_ love you..."

"Jeff, you know what I mean. Do you _love_ me?"

He dropped his head, not particularly wanting to say it out loud.

"It's alright. I know you don't love me as a man would love his wife. Or fiancée, for that matter." She shook her head. "I don't love you as I should either, Jeff. But you are dear to me."

She looked over at him. "I know I wouldn't be your first choice for a wife, but, as it is, we are to be married."

Jeff looked at her, wondering where this was going.

"All my life, I've been brought up wealthy. I've had everything I ever needed, and my parents have taught me that money can give you anything you want, or need."

Now he was starting to see what her point was.

"And I believe that, Jeff. I really do. So, even if you don't love me like you should, or I as I should, there's nothing we can do about it. As long as I settle down and live very comfortably, I can do without love. After all, they say money makes the world go round."

All Jeff could do was stand there, dumbfounded. "Am I really hearing you correctly? I mean, I knew that you had some form of obsession with wealth, but is it really _that_ important to you?"

She looked at him sharply. "Money is everything, Jeff. Without it we would be poor and sick and starving."

"You don't know that, Brittany! You've never had to experience it. Can't you imagine breaking free from all of this...pressure that's been placed upon us? You could travel, you could sleep soundly. Darn it, Brittany! You could eat without knowing there were so many pairs of eyes watching you, all the time. You could dress how you wanted. You could paint, you could write, you could draw!"

Her already narrowed eyes became smaller. "No, Jeff. _This_ is the life that I want. And as long as we're together, I can have it all."

Jeff shook his head, defeated.

Brittany's voice was hard, sharp. "You speak of this other life as if you want it, Jeff."

"Maybe I do."

She sneered. "With your father's business, the only freedom you will ever have is freedom through wealth. And it's about time you accepted that, so that we're all better off."

She threw him one last scowl before turning and heading back down the deck from the direction they came.

"Brittany!" He called after her.

She turned around, her eyes narrowed. "What?"

"Love. Its love that makes the world go round."

She sneered at him before turning again and continuing on her way.

Jeff gritted his teeth. He couldn't believe her. Sure, he always knew that all she wanted was wealth, but to that extreme? It was purely dangerous, and she didn't care who she hurt in the process, Jeff included. She would tread on anyone in the way of her own inheritance, and Jeff's too.

After his conversation with Nick earlier that day, Jeff had started to believe that maybe, just _maybe_, he could one day have what he wanted.

But now he could see it was impossible.

As long as he and Brittany were together, he would be miserable.

And he just couldn't see any way out.

* * *

That night, as the sun was setting once again over the ocean, Jeff sat in the Dining Room surrounded by the wealthiest patrons aboard the _Titanic_.

After his short, although enlightening, stroll with Brittany that afternoon, he had retreated to his room and stayed there until the dinner bells sounded.

All he could feel was hatred – hatred for Brittany, hatred for his parents for being wealthy, hatred for the nightmare he was stuck in that he could not escape.

But now he just felt defeated. It was becoming too much for him to bear, especially since truly learning of Brittany's motives. She didn't care about happiness, she didn't care about him. All she cared about was money – and herself.

All Jeff really wanted was for someone to care about _him_. His mother and father had always put wealth ahead of his wellbeing, and no child should have to stand for that. And although on the deck earlier that day Brittany had said he was 'dear' to her, she made it very clear she didn't care about him.

If she did, she wouldn't be putting him through this.

As another round of raucous laughter exploded from the table, Jeff sighed.

His eyes slipped closed, wishing he could be anywhere but there. He thought that _anywhere_ in the entire world would be more appealing than his seat at that table. Even if he could just escape out into the fresh air upon the deck for just a few moments. But no. While his mother was alive and breathing there would be no chance of excusing himself from such an event.

Jeff heard a deep, posh voice by his side.

"More wine, sir?"

_It only it were that easy to be able to forget_.

"No, thank you."

The server cleared his throat. "More wine, sir?"

Jeff huffed. "I said _no_, thank you." He looked up, slightly annoyed, his eyes widening in surprise as he saw who was standing beside him.

Nick.

Jeff's eyebrows shot up. He was dressed in long black pants, paired with a long sleeved white button down shirt, black suspenders and a black bow tie. His brown hair was parted neatly at the side, his fringe falling into his eyes. Nick held a bottle of wine in his right hand, had his left tucked behind his back and a smirk written across his face.

And Jeff couldn't get over how _handsome_ he looked.

"More wine?" Nick asked again, tilting his head towards the bottle.

Jeff recovered slightly as his initial shock began to wear off. "Oh, yes. Thank you."

Nick leant forward to fill his glass, and Jeff flinched in surprise as he placed his left hand upon his shoulder. He felt a blush creep up his neck as Nick fiddled with the collar of his suit jacket, placing something underneath it.

As he straightened up, Jeff looked up at him, raising his eyebrows. Nick cast a quick look at the other patrons before winking at Jeff and shooting a surreptitious glance at the back of his neck. Jeff nodded slightly, as if saying that he understood, and Nick gave him fleeting smile before turning on his heel and heading towards the kitchen area.

Jeff looked back around the table, wondering if anybody had noticed the exchange. He caught the eye of Lady Sylvester, and she simply raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say she saw the whole thing. Jeff looked quickly away, feigning nonchalance.

For several minutes, he involved himself in the conversation around the table, laughing when he was meant to, speaking when it was required. Jeff kept this up until the looks from Lady Sylvester became less and less frequent. When he noticed she was looking the other way, and those around him were involved in other conversations, he reached his hand behind his neck as if he was scratching it. Slipping his hand under the collar of his jacket, he felt his fingers enclose around a piece of paper. Making sure it was hidden in his hand, he pulled it out, dropping his hand into his lap. He unfolded the note, half concealing it under the tablecloth.

In Nick's scrawly handwriting, it read:

_Meet me at the front of the boat when you escape the clutches of doom_.

Jeff grinned.

* * *

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	8. Chapter 8

Jeff stepped out onto the deck about fifteen minutes after his encounter with Nick. The dinner had begun to wind up soon after he'd read the note, some people leaving and others hanging around. Jeff had excused himself as politely as possible, ignoring the pointed looks his mother was throwing him. _Sadly _he would be missing the monotonous socialising this evening in the Smoking Room.

The fresh night air up on deck turned his exposed cheeks red. Slipping his hands into the pockets of his suit pants, he walked up behind Nick, who had his own hands clasped together behind his back. The blonde boy noticed he still wore his server's uniform, the simple black and white colours looking striking against Nick's fine complexion.

Jeff cleared his throat, putting on a deep voice. "Good evening, sir."

Nick spun around, a grin on his face. "Jeff!"

He felt his pulse race as he noticed Nick's face, flushed from the cold. His cheeks were red as if he had pinched them, his eyes dancing in the low light. He cleared his throat in an effort to regain his composure. "I got your note."

"So I see."

Jeff grinned at him. "You didn't tell me you were a server."

Nick waggled his eyebrows. "I'm not."

"What? How did you...?"

He laughed, a sheepish grin appearing on his face. "I happened to...come across a spare uniform."

Jeff raised his eyebrows, interrupting. "Sure you did."

The other boy cast him a fake stern look. "Anyway...I thought that with you at your posh, First Class, I'm-better-than-all-of-Third-Class-combined dinner, that this would be my only opportunity to get my note to you."

Jeff laughed. "Of course you did." He paused. "So what did you have in mind?"

A serious look came over Nick's face.

"Prepare yourself, Jeffery Sterling, I am about to change your life forever." He grinned. "We're hitting up Third Class!"

* * *

Had anyone told Jeff two weeks earlier that he would be have been sneaking around aboard the _Titanic_ with a boy from Third Class, he would have laughed in their face. Now though, he wasn't quite so sure.

Because that's _exactly_ what he and Nick were doing.

They decided to cut through the Second Class dining hall, where they were less likely to be spotted by someone they were acquainted with. They walked past tables of people, Nick still in his server's uniform, and Jeff still in his suit.

To anyone looking, they might have appeared to be just a server showing a patron to his table. But even in Second Class they looked overdressed.

While the women still wore gowns, they were not as extravagant, and most of the men had chosen simple but clean trousers and a long sleeved button down shirt or a casual suit.

The main difference that Jeff noticed in Second Class was how much more _relaxed_ the atmosphere seemed.

No one was pretending to be above anyone else, laughing and making conversation at the table. The children actually acted like _children_, unlike the robotic miniatures Jeff constantly saw in First Class. While they still sat at the table obediently, they lacked the strict posture of the First Class children, instead resting forward on their elbows or leaning against their mother who sat next to them.

Jeff was amazed at how comfortable he felt around Nick. He'd never let anybody in easily, and he'd only known Nick for a day and a half and he already knew Jeff better than anybody else in the world. His parents would never look deep enough to know of his hatred of money. They'd always only looked skin deep to check if he was ok, never looking any further for damage that Jeff feared may be permanent.

And then Nick had come into his life, and Jeff had let him in because he seemed to genuinely care about him.

"Hey," Nick whispered, "Down here." He took hold of Jeff's hand and they headed down a dark corridor and a flight of stairs.

Jeff's pulse sped up as he felt Nick's hand in his. He looked down at their intertwined fingers as Nick paused outside a door, turning to him. Jeff looked up and met Nick's eyes, who was watching him carefully. There was an emotion in there that Jeff couldn't quite identify, but it made him feel good. It made him feel so good that he wanted to just lean closer and –

_Stop it, Jeffery._

Jeff cleared his throat, trying to ignore the soft feeling of Nick's breath fanning his cheeks in their close proximity. They still clung onto each other's hands.

Nick snapped his eyes away, looking to the door. "Right, it's just through here." His voice was so soft Jeff had to strain his ears to hear it.

Now that he was paying attention, Jeff could hear the loud music seeping through the closed door, the excited voices mingled with it.

Opening the oak door, Nick led Jeff through it, the loud Irish music swallowing the previous thoughts in Jeff's head. He pushed it closed with his spare hand as they turned to face the scene before them. The large room was fairly dark, the air damp with the smell of cigar smoke and beer. There were people everywhere; adults and children laughing and dancing together. They spun in large circles, stomping their feet in time with the deafening music. They stood looking around the room for a moment until Sebastian appeared in front of them.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" He looked at their still entwined hands, smirking.

The two boys both pulled their hands away at once, a deep blush rising up Jeff's neck and onto his cheeks.

Nick pretended not to know what he was talking about. "Hey, Sebastian! We're here to show Jeff how to have a good time."

The tall boy's eyebrow rose even further. "Sure, sure. Well I'm over there with Sam and Finn and some of the lads if you need me. You boys have a good night."

As he watched their retreating figures, he smirked again. He knew that what Nick felt for the blonde boy was probably more than friendship, considering all the time they'd spent together. Sebastian sighed.

_I sure hope Nick knows what he's getting himself into._

* * *

"Here," Nick said, "Drink this." He handed Jeff a large glass almost full of a dark red liquid, keeping one for himself.

Bringing it to his mouth and taking a large mouthful, Jeff swallowed. "Ugh, that's disgusting!"

Nick grinned. "I know right! But very addictive."

"For some reason, yes." Jeff took another few gulps, grimacing as he did so.

As a new song started soon after, Nick put down his drink. "Come on, Jeff. Let's dance!"

Jeff was apparently very keen of this idea. Pulling them into the large circle that was forming, he grabbed Nick's hand.

_I will never get used to this feeling_.

His other hand joined with that of a young girl's, probably no more than eleven or twelve years old. Jeff looked at her, smiling. "Excuse me, miss. May I have this dance?"

The girl giggled, nodding her head. Her chocolate curls bounced at the action and her light brown eyes sparkled as she clutched his hand tighter. Nick looked between the young girl and Jeff and smiled, noticing the transformation in Jeff from the dinner until now.

Jeff looked at him and smiled, as if he knew what Nick was thinking about. He squeezed his hand slightly, a silent reassurance that he was alright.

As the music started to build in speed and volume, they danced around the circle with the other passengers, without a care in the world. All of Jeff's problems were forgotten, and he lost himself in the music and Nick's presence.

When the song finished, Jeff threw his head back and laughed, Nick doing the same beside him. They applauded the band along with the rest of the passengers, who started to make their way off the floor. Jeff looked at the young girl on his right, smiling at her. She smiled back and gave him a small wave before skipping off the floor towards a crowded table.

Jeff turned back to Nick, and they clung onto each other, gasping for air, as they made their way off the floor where a new dance was about to begin.

"That," he gasped, "Was so much fun!"

All Nick could do was nod and grin, still clinging to him for support. Jeff looked at the older boy, admiring the sparkle in his eyes and his flushed cheeks, and all he could think of was one thing.

_Beautiful_.

* * *

Across the room, Brittany watched them from a concealed area through narrowed eyes. There was something going on there, and she didn't like it.

She didn't like it one bit.

* * *

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	9. Chapter 9

When Jeff woke up, he was curled against something warm and comfortable. He stirred, sighing in content. It wasn't until he felt the slight ache in his head that he remembered the events of the night before.

His eyes shot open.

"Ah, the Sleeping Beauty awakes." He looked up to see Sebastian – _Sebastian?_ – standing over him. There were two boys he didn't recognise looking at him from behind his back.

Jeff was confused, until he realised that he was in Nick and Sebastian's cabin. He was in their _cabin_. So that must have meant he was in Nick's...

Bed.

He was in Nick's bed with his arm over the boy's waist.

Jeff sat up quickly, his head hitting the underside of the top bunk and rousing Nick from his sleep, who looked around blearily.

"Wha...?"

Sebastian smirked, clasping his hands behind his back. "Good morning, cousin. I know that Jeff here's a handsome boy, but couldn't you have waited a little bit longer until you got him in your bed?"

The two boys behind Sebastian snickered.

Nick just looked at him with a sleepy look on his face. "What time is it?"

"Oh, about nine-thirty."

Jeff was alarmed. "In the _morning_?"

"Yep. You boys had a big night."

"Oh, no. This is bad. This is _really_ bad." He jumped up off the bed, immediately missing Nick's body next to his. He'd spent the night in Nick's bed. _In his _bed. His mother was going to be absolutely livid when she realised he hadn't come back to their cabin. She would probably be back from breakfast already and would no doubt have noticed his absence.

Nick finally seemed to catch on to what was happening. "Oh, man. I'm really sorry, Jeff."

"No, no. It's not your fault. I fell asleep too." He looked down at his clothes, noticing he was missing his suit jacket, leaving him in his trousers, shirt and tie. "Where's my jacket?"

Nick looked around. "I think you took it off when we were dancing last night."

"Get a bit hot and bothered, did you?" Sebastian smirked as the two boys behind him snickered again. "Oh, Jeffy. That's just Finn and Sam. There's no need to be embarrassed."

Jeff blushed again, realising the three of them had been watching him and Nick sleeping. Together. In the same bed.

Turning to Nick, he placed his hand upon his shoulder. "Uh, I really have to go now. But I'll see you later, yeah?"

Nick nodded. "Definitely."

Jeff grinned at him, before casting the other three a quick look and slipping out the door.

Nick sighed and slipped back down onto his bed, trying to ignore the pointed looks from the idiots in the room. He rubbed his face with his hands, resting his elbows on his knees.

Sebastian leaned against the opposite bunk, his arms folded across his chest with a smug look on his face.

He would never hear the end of this.

* * *

Jeff slipped quickly through the passageway, trying to get back to his cabin as soon as possible.

After a couple of minutes, he slowed, realising his efforts were futile. There was no way nobody would have noticed he'd been missing for the entire night. He might as well take his time arriving back, to prepare him for the inevitable assault that was going to come from his mother. And his father. And most probably Brittany.

He sighed, thinking back to when he woke up wrapped around Nick. It was the best night's sleep he'd had in a long time. Remembering the feeling of his arm resting over Nick's waist, a small smile came to Jeff's face. It had been amazing to wake up next to somebody for once in his life, feeling the warmth of their body against his. If he was truthful with himself, it was nice waking up next to _Nick_, feeling the warmth of _his_ body next to him.

Jeff blushed at the thought. He knew he shouldn't be having these thoughts about the other boy, but there was something _there_, and he had a feeling that he knew what it was.

He _liked_ Nick. Which was both bad and unfortunate, because he was to marry Brittany once they arrived in America. But Jeff wasn't sure he could stay away from Nick.

He didn't know _how_.

Nick made him feel things he'd never felt before. He made him feel loved, and cared for. But as long as he was with Brittany, he could never act on his feelings for the boy.

Besides, he wasn't sure if Nick felt the same way. He probably just saw him as a friend anyway, although they'd held hands and slept _cuddling_ in the same bed. Maybe Nick was just a touchy-feely kind of person.

Jeff focused again, realising he'd stopped outside his cabin door, avoiding the impending doom that would be awaiting him inside.

He planted a casual look upon his face as he opened the door, stepping inside. Surprisingly, he was greeted by an empty room and a silent cabin. He sighed in relief, the muscles in his shoulders relaxing as he made his way towards his room to draw a bath.

Fifteen minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in fresh trousers and a white button down shirt. He stopped short when he noticed his mother standing at the end of the hall, looking at him expectantly.

"Good morning, mother."

"Good morning, dear." The icy tone of her voice caused Jeff to frown as if he didn't know what was bothering her.

"How has your morning been, then?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Fine. Actually I was just having a talk with Lady Sylvester."

Oh. This was sounding worse and worse by the minute.

She continued. "Would you care to explain to me why she saw you leaving the steerage passageway half an hour ago?"

Jeff thought for a moment, cocking his head to the side. "Well, no. Not really."

She narrowed her eyes and walked to stand directly in front of him. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but then seemed to think better of it and she slapped him across the face.

Hard.

Jeff's head whipped to the side. His eyes watered at the sting, but he stood tall in front of his mother.

Her voice was dangerously low. "Jeffery, I have had enough of this behaviour that I've seen coming from you since we boarded the ship. You must present yourself as a mature and responsible _man_, but all I've seen you be is a petty child. Now, I'm not asking you to tell me where you were, I am telling you." She looked at him expectantly through hardened eyes.

Jeff looked straight at her. "I went to a party."

"Right. And where was this 'party'?"

"In Third Class."

His mother's eyes closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Jeffery..."

"Oh, relax, mother. We're all people!" His voice took on a hard note.

She breathed out slowly. "And...after this party, where did you go?"

"I stayed in Nick's cabin."

"You _stayed_ in his cabin? What's the matter with you, Jeffery? What are people going to think? Lady Sylvester's probably already told half the boat that she saw you stumbling down the crew corridor, with your hair all messed up, missing half your clothing and wearing a stained shirt!"

Jeff realised that it probably hadn't looked too innocent to the lady.

"It doesn't matter, mother. Nick is my friend, and I will spend time with him if I want to!"

Turning on his heel, he stormed down the hall to his room, ignoring the loud protests from his mother.

* * *

"So...what was all that about?" Sebastian turned on Nick as Jeff slipped out the door.

Nick sighed. "Just drop it, Sebastian. Ok? Nothing's going on."

"Well, that's probably a matter of opinion. You two looked pretty cosy in each other's arms there." He turned to Finn and Sam. "Right guys?"

"Yeah. Sorry mate, but you did look quite cute."

Nick stood up from his bed. "Guys, it doesn't matter! Nothing's going on, and even if it was, it couldn't because Jeff's getting married soon."

Three sets of eyebrows raised around the room. Naturally, Sebastian spoke first, smirking. "Wow...gay marriage is legal in America?"

"Not to a man, you idiot. To a _woman_." Nick sighed dramatically.

"Oh. I must have been mistaken. I didn't think straight guys spooned with other guys when they were about to get married. But please, correct me if I'm wrong."

Finn and Sam snickered.

Nick sighed again, exasperated. He flopped back down on his bed, placing an arm over his eyes.

He had never been one to care for labels. To him, love was just love. Attraction was just attraction. Gender was irrelevant. But now, he was in trouble. He was falling deep.

And he was falling fast.

And that scared him more than anything else.

* * *

**I realise that some of the terms used in this chapter most likely weren't around in 1912, but I just thought they fit in so I used them.**

**As always, thank you for those who read and review! I appreciate every single piece of feedback I get, and reviews really make me happy :)**

**Thanks again!**


	10. Chapter 10

Jeff stayed in his room for hours.

When the time for lunch came, he ignored the bell, choosing to skip his second meal for the day and hide away in his room. He wasn't afraid of his parents, or the opinions of anyone else on the ship for that matter, but he just wasn't sure what he'd do if he went outside the cabin. He'd never been so angry, yet saddened, in his life. He was afraid he might scream, or cry, or break things. Or even worse still, he'd sit quiet and take the haughty, judgmental looks from everyone.

Jeff was fairly certain he was finished with sitting quietly and obediently.

When the lunch bells had initially sounded, he'd expected his mother to come after him, rapping on the door and ordering him to lunch. But silence was the only thing that followed. Maybe she realised he'd need time to cool down.

Or maybe she just couldn't be bothered with him anymore.

He sighed, leaning back on his bed head and looking out the window. He'd just slipped his eyes closed when he heard a quick knock on the door of the cabin.

Jeff stood up, leaving his room and heading for the entrance room when the knocks sounded again. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

He opened the door, the sight before him surprising him. "Nick!"

"Hello there." Nick grinned at him, his smile causing Jeff's heart to flutter. He had a bag in his hand and rolled canvases under his arm.

"Come on in." As he walked past him, Jeff noticed he what he was wearing. "Is that my suit?"

Nick looked down. "Yeah. I was coming to return it to you. I knew it was lunchtime so I thought I'd try to get your attention in the Dining Room, but I couldn't see you there, so I assumed you'd be here."

"You assume correctly, sir." Jeff grinned, closing the door and sitting on the settee.

Nick took a seat next to him, turning to look at Jeff. "So I thought – hey, what's that?" He gestured to the red mark on his cheek, concern on his face. "Did someone hit you?"

"Yes, but it doesn't matter anymore."

Nick cupped Jeff's face in his hands, his eyes searching his. "Of course it matters, Jeff. Someone hurt you. Was it because of me?"

"No, Nick. It wasn't your fault. My mother didn't like the fact that I didn't return last night."

The older boy grazed his knuckles over the angry, red mark. "Does it hurt?"

"It stung when it happened, but it's not so bad now."

Nick dropped his hands slowly from Jeff's face. "Well...good then. But I shouldn't have taken you to the party, Jeff. It was silly of me."

"No, I agreed to go. I _wanted _to go. And I'm glad I did."

Nick smiled. "Good. Because I had an excellent time."

"So did I."

He nodded and handed Jeff the bag he was holding. "Here, some food for you. I know for a fact that you didn't eat any breakfast, and when I couldn't see you at lunch I just knew that I couldn't let you go hungry."

Jeff took the bag eagerly, realising how hungry he was. "Thanks, Nick. That really means a lot to me."

"It's alright. It might not be the grub you get in First Class, but I think it's pretty good."

Taking the sandwich out of the bag, Jeff took a bite, moaning at the taste. "Are you kidding? This is better than anything they serve in First Class."

Nick smirked. "Talking with your mouth full now? You really do belong in Third Class."

Jeff just laughed through the food.

They sat in silence while he ate the rest of the sandwich, Nick looking around the room.

As he crumpled the empty sandwich bag, Jeff spoke. "So how exactly do you plan on returning the suit if you're wearing it?"

Nick shrugged. "Well, I was just planning on taking it off and doing a nuddy run back to steerage."

As Nick was speaking, Jeff swallowed. So, naturally, he choked, looking at him incredulously. "What?"

"I figure if I'm not wearing any clothes they can't tell which class I'm from."

Noticing the smirk on his face, Jeff laughed. "Right, you're joking."

Nick looked thoughtful. "I think so. Got any better ideas?"

"You're such an idiot."

Nick grinned. "But you love me anyway."

They both looked at each other seriously for a moment, Jeff unsure how to continue until Nick laughed. "It's alright, Jeffy. I know you're not quite ready to declare your undying love for me just yet." He winked at him. "And I bought a spare set of clothes to change into. My Sunday best, of course."

All Jeff could do was shake his head. He sure was one of a kind.

Looking around, he noticed the scrolls. "So what are those canvases for?"

"These? Oh, I was up on deck painting earlier and I didn't want to leave them in the room where Sebastian would look at them."

Jeff was shocked. "Wait...so not even _Sebastian_ has seen any of your paintings?"

"No. I've never shown anyone before."

"Wow. So, understandably, you brought them here, where I definitely would not want to see them." He eyed off the canvases.

Nick looked at him. "Well now I'm beginning to think it wasn't such a good idea."

"You're right."

As Jeff lunged over Nick for the scrolls, the other grabbed them and held them above his head, trying to fight Jeff off. He stood up. "Not gonna happen, Sterling."

"Oh, really, Duval? And how are you going to stop me?" He pounced on Nick, knocking them both to the ground. Nick raised his arms above his head again in a futile attempt to get them out of the other boy's reach as Jeff sat on him, laughing.

"Hmm...what's that you were saying, Nicky?" Jeff laughed as he flung the paintings to the other side of the room.

"I said, go get them."

Jeff looked thoughtful. This was most definitely a trap. But he was going to do it anyway.

He climbed onto his hands and knees, scurrying toward the scrolls. Half way across, he felt Nick pounce on his back, stopping him. Jeff stretched up onto his knees, knocking Nick flat onto his back the floor. Turning around, he sat on the boy again, pinning him to the ground.

Nick was breathless with laughter, and all Jeff could do was look at him again. He looked just as he had the night before at the party, his eyes sparkling, hair messed up and cheeks flushed.

He squirmed beneath him, and Jeff laughed at his weak attempt to get free. He leant forward, placing a hand on each side of Nick's face, still straddling him, his legs over the other's waist.

They looked at each other for a long moment as the laughter died away from Nick's lips, his eyes looking into Jeff's searchingly.

It was as if the moment was frozen in time, and neither of them were in any hurry to end it.

They were both startled when a throat cleared behind them. Jeff turned his head to look back and noticed his mother and Brittany standing in the doorway of the cabin.

He rolled off Nick quickly, trying not to let the disappointment show on his face. Nick sat up, his hands uselessly trying to tame his brown hair.

Jeff's mother took a few steps forward into the room towards the boys. "Nicholas, I presume?"

Nick stood, straightening his clothes. "Yes, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand.

Lydia Sterling eyed his outstretched hand, but did not return it. "Likewise."

Even Nick could tell that she didn't mean that. Jeff rolled his eyes, still sitting on the floor.

His mother looked at Nick. "Is that your suit, Jeffery?"

He looked over at Nick, who met his eyes. "Yes, mother. I lent it to Nick yesterday."

"Whatever for? I can't imagine Third Class having any formal events." Her nose turned up. "Well make sure you wash it once you get it back."

Nick stood quietly, his hands in his trouser pockets, looking embarrassed. Jeff was outright outraged at what she had just said. He stood up abruptly. "_Excuse me?_"

Brittany took a few steps forward, her hand on her hip. "I'm not sure if they even _have_ hygiene facilities in Third Class."

Jeff's face was flushed with anger. "How dare you? Both of you! Nick is my friend, and he is here because I want him to be. I won't let you stand around and insult him like he's not even a real person."

"Oh, get over yourself, Jeff. Third Class has no place in this part of the ship." Brittany's voice was sharp and accusing.

Nick looked up, his face flushed red in embarrassment. "It's alright, Jeff. I'm going to go now. I'll see you later on, maybe." He nodded politely to the women before slipping out the door, his paintings forgotten on the floor.

Jeff just couldn't understand how he could be so chivalrous after they had insulted him in the worst imaginable way. He turned to his mother. "Who _are_ you? Nick is just as much human as you or I. Although I'm not even sure that's what you are anymore."

"Oh, Jeffery. Stop being so darn stubborn. You need to learn who is worth your time and who is not."

Jeff laughed humourlessly. "Don't you worry, mother. I _just_ have. And it's not who you want it to be." He threw them one last look as he strode out of the cabin, still not believing the cruel words that had just been spoken.

He had to find Nick.


	11. Chapter 11

Jeff sighed for the umpteenth time. He'd been searching the ship for nearly an hour looking for Nick. It was three o'clock in the afternoon, and he was starting to get worried.

Although he'd already checked Nick's cabin, he thought he'd give it another go. When he had knocked on the door earlier, the room had been silent and no one had responded to Jeff's calls, so he assumed it to be empty. Maybe Nick was too upset to talk to him though.

He walked along the passageway for the third time, arriving in front of the now familiar plain white door. Raising his hand, he knocked.

As the door flew open, he was greeted with the sight of a laughing Sebastian. He could see Finn and Sam in the background, bent over with laughter, clutching at their sides. Due to his previous experiences with the boys, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was they were amused at.

"Jeffy! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Jeff smiled at him, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Is Nick here?"

Noticing the look on his face, Sebastian stilled. "No, why? Is something wrong?"

Sam and Finn straightened up in the background, their faces curious.

"Maybe." Jeff sighed, seeing the worried look on the tall boy's face. "He was in my cabin earlier and my mother and fiancée came in and said some really nasty things to him."

"Oh, great." Sebastian rolled his eyes. "He should be fine, though. Don't worry, Nick's a tough guy to break."

"I know, it's just that I've been looking for him for an hour. I really want to make sure he's alright. There are some things I need to say to him too."

Sebastian nodded his head. "Right, I understand. Can't help you though, sorry, he's not here."

"Do you know where he might possibly be?"

"Hmm, not really. My best guess would be up on deck. Did you try there?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah, but I'll take another look. Thanks, Sebastian."

"No problem, Jeffy. See you soon, alright?"

"Yeah, thanks again."

As Sebastian closed the door, Jeff headed back towards the deck. Nick was really lucky to have someone like Sebastian to care for him.

He walked out onto the deck several minutes later, folding his arms across his chest as the cool sea breeze whirled around him. He wandered aimlessly for a while, looking for Nick in every corner or crevice of the deck. As he moved towards the front of the ship, he spotted Nick's frame leaning against the bow of the boat.

He took a deep breath, moving towards him. "Nick?"

The brown haired boy turned his head towards him. "Hey, Jeff."

He sounded worn down, defeated. Placing himself next to Nick, Jeff leaned against the railing also. "Listen, Nick, I'm really sorry about what happened in there."

Before he was finished speaking, Nick was shaking his head. "No, Jeff, don't apologise. You did nothing wrong."

"Nick, I am apologising to you because someone has to do it, and it's certainly not going to be my mother or Brittany." He sighed. "I didn't know they could be so cruel. You know what I feel the most, Nick? I feel ashamed." Noticing the look on the other boy's face, he quickly continued. "Not of you. Gosh, Nick. Not of you. _Never_ of you. I'm ashamed of my mother, but most of all I'm ashamed that I'm related to her."

"You know what? I'm not even bothered by what your mother and Brittany said about me in there. It's not like I haven't heard it all before anyway."

Jeff looked confused. "What do you mean? What's the matter then?"

"It's you, Jeff! The way they treat _you_! They won't even let you be friends with a poor boy. What does that say about your life? Does your mother pick all of your friends?"

The younger watched him for a moment, a contemplative look on his face. He shrugged. "I don't really have any friends. Except you."

Nick shook his head. "That's what I mean. The only friend you have is me, and your mother doesn't approve of that." He sighed. "Jeff, we really need to talk about this."

The fair haired boy looked puzzled. "We are."

"No, I mean...I'm driving a wedge between you and your family. Maybe I should just stay away from you, Jeff."

"No, Nick! That's not the answer. You're the best thing that's happened to me in the _longest_ time. I'd almost lost hope before I met you, but you made me see a different life. A _good_ life." He paused. "So, even if you don't want to see me again, I definitely want to see you. This may be the biggest ship in the world, but don't think you can hide from me."

Nick smirked. "And yet it just took you an hour and a half to come find me."

"Oi, watch it, Mr Duval."

He sighed. "No, but seriously, Jeff. From what you've told me of your future, you're going to need your family by your side. You're going to need every single person who you care about by your side."

Jeff laughed. "Don't you see, Nick? I care about _you_. If I can't have you as a friend, then I don't want anyone." He hesitated briefly. "You're important to me, Nick."

He smiled. "Thanks, you're important to me too." He sighed dramatically. "I _guess_."

"Hey! That's enough of that, Mr Duval. Maybe we should reconsider this friendship thing after all."

Nick laughed. "Nope, it's you who's stuck with _me_ now."

"Come here, you big oaf." Jeff turned to Nick, capturing him in an embrace before the other boy could even react.

"Oh, alright. Are you sure you want to be seen hugging an unclean, poor, Third Class man?"

Jeff's nose wrinkled in mock disgust. "Well, not usually, but with you I'll make an exception."

"Aw, thanks. That makes me feel so nice inside."

Jeff loosened his hold on him. "Alright, before this gets too emotional, I'm going to let go, ok?"

"Sure. Any time now."

Jeff stepped away, resuming his previous position against the rail. Nick glanced sideways at him, noticing the huge smirk covering his face.

They were going to be ok.

* * *

That night, Jeff found himself at yet another dinner in the First Class Dining Room.

Earlier, he and Nick had spent several more minutes on deck before returning to steerage where they found Sebastian waiting. After more inevitable teasing of some form, Jeff had withdrawn himself from the situation that was arising and had retreated to his room to prepare for dinner.

And here he was with his family, Brittany, Lady Sylvester and her husband, Mr Figgins and his wife and several others who Jeff had not yet been fortunate enough to meet.

As the evening meals arrived, a server moved around the table pouring drinks for those who requested them.

When he paused by Brittany's side, she looked up at him. "Oh, no thank you. I don't drink anymore." When the surprised murmurs filtered around the table, she lifted her glass to him with a confident smile on her face.

"I don't drink any less, either." As bouts of laughter broke out, Jeff had another mouthful of his drink.

_Boy, this is going to be a long night_.

"Ms Pierce, such a bold persona you have for such a young woman!" Mr Figgins spoke up. "Why, if more women were like you, we could be in trouble of them running the country, right men?"

Scattered laughter from around the table caused Jeff to sigh. When he'd first met Brittany, he thought it was endearing that she liked to be in the spotlight all the time. Now, however, he had to hide his annoyance each time she opened her mouth. Jeff was well aware of how one's opinion of another person could easily spread throughout their social class, especially concerning women. He wasn't sure that she always understood what the possible implications of her actions could be.

"Oh, Brittany dear, you had me concerned there for a minute. I thought perhaps you were in a bit of a _delicate situation_, if you know what I mean." Lady Sylvester shot a knowing look at Brittany from across the table.

Jeff suppressed from rolling his eyes. Typical Lady Sylvester. To Jeff's surprise, he watched as Brittany opened her mouth, as if to laugh, but then closed it again, looking at him as a smirk crossed her face.

Looking back out at the occupants of the table, she ducked her head innocently, placing a manicured hand over her mouth. "Oh my, I'd hoped that the situation wouldn't arise so soon, but it has! This drink is not for me, Lady Sylvester, it is for Jeff here. I'd planned on passing it over to him when no one was looking, to avoid suspicion." Jeff furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as she continued. "As it happens, I am in somewhat of a _delicate situation_."

Jeff's mother's fork clattered noisily to her plate, her eyes darting between her son and his fiancé. "What ever do you mean, dear?"

Brittany smiled innocently at her soon to be mother-in-law, placing her hand over Jeff's on the table.

"I'm pregnant."


	12. Chapter 12

Jeff pushed open the doors leading onto the deck, striding out towards the edge of the ship. The dinner had not long finished when he demanded a word with Brittany, after receiving mixed words of congratulations and some distasteful looks from the other patrons.

He could hear the footsteps of the girl as she followed behind him out into the night. Jeff spun around, glaring at her.

"Are you?"

Brittany stared at him, her hard blue eyes unforgiving. "Am I what?"

"Don't be stupid, Brittany. You know very well what I'm talking about. Are you pregnant? Because apparently you seem to think you are, but that is_ impossible _because that involves a certain level of intimacy. So, you've either been unfaithful to me, or you're lying."

"Of course I'm not pregnant, Jeff!"

He let out a harsh breath, running his hands through his hair. "What on earth are you thinking, Brittany? Please, _please_ let me know because I am _dying_ to hear it. I will say it again, are you being unfaithful to me?"

The blonde girl scoffed. "Unfaithful? The only unfaithful one in this relationship is you, Jeffery."

He stared at her, unbelieving. "_What _are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry, ok, Jeff? It's just...I can see the way you look at him."

"I do not know what you are talking about, Brittany. Look at who?"

"That boy from Third Class. Nicholas."

_Nick_.

Jeff was shocked. His mouth opened, ready to defend himself, but no words came out. He took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders.

"I...I don't know what you mean." Even as he spoke the words, Jeff could hear his confident facade slipping.

Brittany sighed in frustration and looked Jeff in the eyes.

"I followed you last night. To that party." She sneered at the word. " You were _holding _hands, Jeff. And the way you look at him, you've never looked at me like that before. And I just can't bear the thought of losing you."

Jeff blinked incredulously, anger pooling within him.

"What, so you decided to tell my _mother_ and some of the wealthiest and most influential people aboard this ship that you were pregnant _with my child_? How could you do that, Brittany? What do you think is going to happen now?"

"Oh, do calm down. We'll work something out. We have to. I will not let you leave me, Jeffery."

Jeff was shocked beyond words. Clearly he had underestimated Brittany ever since he'd met her, thinking her to be somewhat of a simpleton. But now he knew differently. She knew as well as he did that he didn't have a chance of leaving her now that everyone thought she was pregnant. It was socially unacceptable for a man to leave a woman when she was with child. Brittany had built the perfect trap for him, and he was stuck.

"I can't believe you'd do this, Brittany," he said, slowly shaking his head. "I have not been unfaithful to you, and you know it. And yet this is how you repay me?"

"Jeffery, I can see it in your eyes that you are in love with that boy, even though we are engaged to be married. Is that not unfaithful enough?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I only met Nick a couple of days ago for goodness' sake. And you talk of me as if I am attracted to men!"

Brittany shook her head. "No, Jeff, I don't think you are attracted to men, just to _Nicholas_." A sneer crossed her face as she spat out his name in disgust. "And I will not allow it. I think you need to carefully decide your next move, and so help you if it's the wrong one." With that, she cast a final glare at him before spinning on her heel and heading off down the deck towards her suite.

Jeff honestly could not believe what had just happened.

* * *

Nick headed into the Third Class Hall that evening for dinner with Sebastian, Sam and Finn by his side. Now that he had everything cleared up with Jeff, he felt lighter somehow. Although he still couldn't believe that Jeff would defy his mother to be friends with him.

This was only his fourth meal in the room, and Nick was still meeting new people. He'd missed breakfast that morning when he and Jeff had slept in, and then he'd missed lunch when he went to Jeff's cabin.

This evening he'd met Blaine, Thad, Wes and David, and was surprised to learn the four friends stayed just down the hall from them in the same room. Thad and David were very out there, constantly joking and making everyone else laugh, whereas Blaine and Wes were the quietest of the four, usually listening to the conversation and occasionally contributing.

This evening for his meal Nick had chosen cold meat with pickles and fresh bread, and it was good, a lot better than he usually ate.

"You know, this meal's actually quite good," David spoke from across the small table, pointing to the food with his fork.

As the others agreed, Thad scoffed. "You know, someone told me that in First Class they have _eleven _course dinners. It's ridiculous! There are people like us poor mortals starving in the world and they're too busy feeding their faces."

Sam piped up. "I heard they have twenty-seven options for breakfast."

Nick knew this. Jeff had told him about his meals and they were very extravagant, unlike anything he'd ever imagined, let alone had. He nodded at Sam. "They have _stewed prunes_, _Quaker oats_ and _broiled hominy_," he spoke with a posh voice. "Oh, and don't forget the _grilled mutton kidneys and bacon_." He laughed, putting a forkful of food in his mouth.

At the brief silence, he looked up to see the seven other boys at the table looking at him. "What?"

"Mate, how do you know that?" Wes asked with an incredulous tone.

"Ah, see Nicky here's got eyes on the inside." Sebastian winked at the others at the table, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

Thad laughed, his eyes widening playfully. "Oh yeah? Your girlfriend one of them posh ones, is she?"

"Oh, no. Not his girlfriend. His _boyfriend_."

Nick choked on his food, his cheeks heating up. "Sebastian! He's not my boyfriend!"

"Nicky, the blush on your face tells us all otherwise." Sebastian smirked at him.

Uncharacteristically, Blaine piped up, his soft voice teasing. "Ooh, what's his name?"

Nick glanced up with red cheeks to see the seven other occupants of the table leaning in earnestly. "Guys, he's not my boyfriend!"

"But you want him to be, right?" Everyone looked to Finn as he spoke. The boy shrugged. "I can tell by the way you look at him, even though you've only known him for a couple of days." He grinned. "Well, that and the way you were snuggled up together in bed this morning."

"Wow Finn, that's probably the most insightful thing I've ever heard you say." Sebastian looked at him with a thoughtful look on his face.

Noticing the table was silent, Nick glanced around. "What?"

"You guys...slept together? In the same bed?" Wes asked in a curious voice.

"Well, yeah. But, I mean, we just fell asleep. It wasn't like we planned to."

Sebastian laughed. "Ah, but the plot thickens. Jeff's about to get married. To a _girl_."

David looked at him wide-eyed. "Wait, Jeff Sterling? _That's_ the guy you slept with?"

"I didn't _sleep_ with him." Sebastian raised an eyebrow at Nick. "Ok, well, I did. But it was only sleeping. Nothing else." Apparently they hadn't believed him when he'd said it the first time.

"Jeffery Sterling, huh? Boy, do you know what you're getting yourself into?" David looked at him.

"Wait, how do you know Jeff?" Nick was puzzled.

"Please. Everybody knows Jeff Sterling. His family's like second to the Astors in wealth. I wouldn't know him to look at, but I'd recognise the name anywhere."

"Well," Blaine spoke up, "if you were with Jeff you'd never live uncomfortably again."

Nick shook his head, his voice quiet. "No, he's not like that."

"Well, if you ask me, everyone with money's 'like that'." Wes stood, picking up his empty glass and glancing around at the others. "Who wants another drink?"

Nick sighed, relieved the conversation was finally taking a different turn. He relaxed back in his chair, thinking of his eventful day.

As much as he denied it, Nick _did_ feel something for Jeff. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, he just knew that it was strong.

_Very_ strong.

When Wes returned, and the conversation had died down once again, David turned towards Nick, who was sitting on his left. "So, was it love at first sight?"

Sebastian snorted.

Nick groaned.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't own Glee.**

**Thank you so much to the people who read and review this story, I really appreciate knowing what you guys think!**

**I hope you enjoy the chapter :)**

* * *

Jeff looked up from where he sat on the settee later that night as his mother stormed into the room, her cheeks red and her eyes accusing. She came to a halt just in front of him, drawing in a deep breath.

"Do you have _anything_ to say for yourself, young man?"

The blond lowered his eyes, knowing he couldn't tell his mother it was all a lie. Brittany had brought him into this mess, and she was going to get him out of it.

He drew in a shaky breath.

"I am _so _disappointed in you, Jeffery. You have bought scandal upon the family name. You and Ms Pierce are not even married and yet she is _pregnant_? Imagine what everyone will think of us now. The Sterling name has been brought to shame! You are above that, Jeffery, and you know it."

"Mother..."

"Do you really think that the best place for you tell me you were expecting a child was at the _dinner table_? And in the presence of Lady Sylvester, too! This will be all over the ship by morning, son. You and Brittany don't know what you've got yourselves into. You are only seventeen years old, Jeffery, and you are set to take over one of the largest bank franchises in the _entire_ world." His mother sighed, wiping a hand across her brow, before continuing in a defeated voice. "You've been preparing for this your whole life. Your father and I know very well that you can handle it, but you need to wait until you're older to raise a family."

She paused, looking at him expectantly.

"Mother, I...I don't know what it is you want me to say."

"When did you find out?"

Jeff hesitated, unsure of how to reply.

"Today. She only told me today." That wasn't untrue.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "I could tell by the look on your face that you didn't know she'd planned on saying it then."

Jeff laughed bitterly. _That wasn't all I didn't know_.

"You could say that again," he replied.

His mother straightened. She walked over, standing in front of him and looking down.

"Get some sleep, son. You're going to have a lot to say for yourself tomorrow."

As she left the room, tightening her coat, Jeff blinked back tears. There was only one thought passing through his mind.

_I need to see Nick._

He stood quickly, heading to the door, fully intending on going to see the other boy.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jeff's father's voice came from behind him. "I think you've done enough damage today, son, without running off again. Get to sleep." He stood where he was in the corner, arms folded across his chest, watching Jeff patiently.

Jeff hesitated. He _really_ needed to talk to Nick before he heard this rumour along the grapevine. But on the other hand, he had no chance of leaving while his father was watching him.

"I said, go to bed, Jeffery."

Jeff's hand slipped from the door knob as he headed towards his room. Clearly it would have to wait until morning. Or, at very least, until his father was asleep.

* * *

After surviving the dinner ordeal, Nick headed up to the deck with the others, the harsh sea breeze biting at their cheeks as they filed out onto the cold floorboards.

They stood in silence for a moment, each one staring out at the black sea as they wrapped their coats more firmly around themselves. The silence was comfortable; all lost in their own thoughts about the journey and the life ahead of them.

After several moments, Thad decided being silent was a waste of all of their times, and, to Nick's dismay, attempted to pick up the taunting from where it had been left previously when they'd vacated the Dining Room.

"So, Nick," he said, his eyes dancing playfully, "what – "

Nick shook his head quickly. "Don't start again, _please_." He dropped his head into his hands, sighing loudly.

The seven others laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls of the empty deck. Sebastian leant back against the railing, smirking at his cousin, "But you just make it so much fun for us, _Nicky_."

Nick shook his head and huffed, a pillow of breath coming out of his mouth and disappearing in front of him. He looked down the deck, noticing a lean figure walking towards them in the dim light.

Sebastian looked up and called out to the person. "Hey, Mike!"

An Asian boy walked up to them, greeting the others before Sebastian introduced him to Nick.

"Nick, this is Mike. Mike, this is Nick, my cousin."

Mike nodded and looked at Nick. "Hey."

"Hello." Nick smiled, reaching out to shake the boy's hand. Noticing what he was wearing, Nick was confused. "So...are you Third Class?"

Mike laughed, although not unkindly. "No, I'm a part of the staff. Just finished a shift, actually."

Nick nodded, realising the outfit was almost identical to the one he'd worn the day before.

"So, guys," Mike said, looking around the group. "What's up?"

David looked up. "Oh, not much. Just teasing Nicky here about his boyfriend from First Class."

Mike looked interested. "Oh, yeah? Who?"

"The one and only Jeffery Sterling." Wes laughed, his eyes crinkling in amusement as he shot a look at Nick.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys? He's not my boyfriend."

Mike had a weird look on his face. "Jeff Sterling? I heard some blonde woman talking just a couple of minutes ago about how his fiancée was pregnant."

The deck fell silent, all previous taunts fading away.

Nick looked up, shocked. "...What?"

"Yeah, that's what she said, anyway."

Nick swallowed thickly, looking out over the black ocean. His heart seemed to almost stop in his chest.

The others had all gone silent. Wes and David were standing to the side, looking sympathetically at him. Thad and Blaine were looking down at the boards of the deck, their hands in their pockets.

Sebastian just looked at him. "Nick..."

"No, it's ok. It doesn't matter anyway. I'm happy for them." His voice betrayed him. "Uh, I'm going to head down now, call it a night. It's been a long day. I'll see you guys later."

Before anyone could reply, he turned and headed inside.

Sebastian's eyes had watched him as he crossed the deck along with seven other pairs of eyes.

Back in the cabin, closing the door behind him, Nick sat heavily on his bed, the weight of the day weighing down on him. He'd been insulted, he'd laughed until he'd almost cried, he'd felt a strong attraction towards Jeff, he'd almost lost Jeff. He'd found out Jeff was going to be a father. It had been a very long day, even though he'd – rather, _they'd_ – awoken late.

Nick sighed, remembering the feeling of the boy's arm around him as they slept. He hadn't felt that protected or cared for for as long as he could remember. And then he'd woken up in bed, with _Jeff_. And it had been amazing.

And now Brittany was pregnant. Well, that threw a spanner in the works. He couldn't help but feel...disappointed.

Nick knew he'd never fallen for anyone quite as hard as he'd fallen for Jeff. Two days; that's all it took for him to be completely gone. He shouldn't feel so strongly about someone he'd just met, but he was powerless to stop it.

He yawned, suddenly overcome with the day's events. He stood, turning the light in the cabin off before slipping under the covers.

His eyes had just shut when he heard a tentative knock on the door.

Nick climbed back out of bed, opening the door. Jeff's frame was illuminated in the light of the passageway. "Jeff? Come on in."

Jeff stepped into the small room, looking around. His eyes were tired, his usually perfect hair slightly ruffled.

"Where's Sebastian?"

Nick sighed from where he was laying on his bed again. "Up on deck with some of the other boys."

"Ah, ok." Jeff sighed deeply. "Look, Nick, there's something I need to talk to you about."

Nick looked up at Jeff and raised his eyebrows.

"Brittany, well, she's..."

"Pregnant? Yeah, I heard."

Jeff was startled. "What? How?"

"One of Sebastian's friends is a server, and he says he heard a blonde lady talking about how your fiancée was expecting." Nick laughed, putting on a fake snobbish voice and tilting his chin in the air. "How extremely _scandalous_ of you, Jeffery."

_Lady Sylvester, of course._

"Well, news sure does travel fast on this ship."

Nick nodded, not quite meeting the other boy's eyes. "Look, congratulations, Jeff."

The blond looked at him. "She's not pregnant."

Nick couldn't believe the relief that coursed through him at those simple words. His eyebrows rose. "She's not?"

"No."

"Oh." He paused, swinging his legs over the side of the bed into a sitting position. "Well why did she tell everyone she was then?"

Jeff rubbed a hand over his face and leant back against the bunk opposite Nick's. He couldn't tell him the _whole _truth, not yet anyway.

"She thinks I'm going to leave her." At the incredulous look on the older boy's face, he nodded.

"What, so she told everyone she was _pregnant_?" To Jeff's surprise, Nick started laughing. "And what's she going to say when people start realising that she doesn't look pregnant?_ Oh, well my baby has a very slim figure._" The corners of Jeff's mouth quirked up at Nick's dig at her intelligence.

Nick snorted. "No, but seriously, she thinks you're going to leave her? _Why_? Got a whole line of beautiful suitors waiting for you, do you?"

Now it was Jeff's turn to scoff. "Hardly."

Nick stood up, speaking in a quiet voice. "Well, I doubt that."

He looked into Jeff's eyes, and Jeff was startled to realise how close they were standing. The atmosphere in the room had suddenly turned very intense, and Jeff liked it. He liked it a lot.

"So," Nick began, his eyes glancing away from Jeff's. "What are you going to do?"

Jeff sighed, shaking his thoughts back to the matter at hand. "Honestly, I don't know. I think I've got some thinking to do. I'm really not sure if I can stay with Brittany after...all of this."

"Jeff," Nick said softly, placing a hand upon Jeff's forearm, "Why don't you just tell your mother Brittany was lying?"

"I...I don't want her to know the truth."

"Why, Jeff? Brittany's afraid you'll leave her. So what? It happens all the time!" He looked at him expectantly, his brown eyes clear in the bright light of the room.

"Nick, there's something you don't know," Jeff said, swallowing thickly.

Nick's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Jeff looked him straight in the eye.

"Brittany's afraid that I'll leave her for you."


	14. Chapter 14

Nick was shocked beyond words. He looked at Jeff, his mouth wide open. "_Me_?"

Jeff nodded, biting down on his bottom lip. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"She followed us the other night, to the party. Said it looked like there was something going on between us."

"Oh." Nick scratched his head, not quite being able to deny it. "So...what are you going to do?"

Jeff shrugged.

"Do you love her?"

"No."

"Well then there's your answer."

Jeff sighed, holding his face in his hands. "It's not that simple."

"I know."

"I wish it was."

"I know."

Jeff walked over to sit down beside Nick on his bed. His shockingly blond hair that was usually so shiny was now dull and lifeless. He sighed again. "I think...I think I'm going to leave her."

Nick swallowed. "You deserve to be happy, Jeff."

"Yeah." His voice sounded hollow. "It different now, though, when everyone thinks she's pregnant."

In that moment, Nick felt hatred for Brittany, more than he'd ever felt for anyone before. How could someone do something like that to another person? It was beyond his imagination. He'd been brought up to be a kind, respectful person, always putting others ahead of himself.

He heard a strangled noise coming from beside him. Looking over, he saw Jeff's shoulders begin to shake. "I've had _enough_, Nick. I can't do this anymore." And then he started crying.

_Finally._

Ever since Nick had met the boy, he'd been through so much, but he'd never once seen him cry. And now he was. He was sobbing, right next to Nick, on that small bed on the largest ship in the world, somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Nick's voice was rough. "I'm not going to tell you everything's alright, Jeff. But you have to believe me, it _will_ get better." He wrapped an arm around Jeff's shoulders and pulled them both so they were lying down on the bed, Jeff sobbing into Nick's chest and grasping the front of his shirt.

He held him like that for many minutes until his sobs subsided and his breathing became deep. Even unconscious, he was clutching onto Nick like a lifeline.

Nick's eyes slipped closed and he allowed himself to be pulled into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

Half an hour later, Sebastian paused outside their cabin door, Finn and Sam in tow. He knew he needed to give Nick some space, so they'd stayed up on deck until they were darn near frozen before returning.

He listened carefully through the door for any sounds. Hearing none, he cracked it open, slipping inside silently. Noticing the light was still on, his eyes went straight to Nick's bed, and they softened at the sight before him.

The two boys were face to face on the bed, their arms placed around each other securely. Jeff's face was positioned just beneath Nick's chin, and their legs were intertwined. They were pressed together; Jeff's arms wrapped tightly around his cousin's midsection, Nick's arms draped around Jeff's back.

Sebastian could clearly see the tear tracks on the blond boy's face, and judging by the proximity of him and Nick, he wasn't crying about them. Perhaps this pregnancy was bad news for Jeff as well.

Although Sebastian never really got close to people, he had to admit he had a soft spot for the wealthy boy. How could he not, when he brought such a smile to his cousin's face?

He heard a little noise come from Finn and Sam as they entered the room behind him, taking in the scene.

"Aww," Finn whispered, "That's so adorable."

Sam just nodded, a goofy smile on his face.

As he slipped into bed several minutes later, Sebastian couldn't help glancing at Nick and Jeff one more time.

He hoped his cousin could finally be happy.

* * *

When Jeff woke up in the early morning, it felt very similar to the day before. The warmth was the same, the body lying beside his was the same.

He opened his eyes, meeting Nick's from where his head rested above him.

"Good morning," Nick whispered.

"Hey." Seeing the concern in the other boy's deep eyes, he added, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. All thanks to you."

Nick smiled softly at him. "Glad I could be of assistance."

Neither of them made any action to remove themselves from each other's arms. It wasn't until Jeff moved his leg that he realised it was planted firmly between Nick's.

His cheeks flushed. "Oh, sorry."

"No, it's fine. Leave it there, it's comfortable." Nick realised that this should be awkward, but it wasn't, and he couldn't bring himself to care.

He wasn't sure what was going on with him and Jeff, but he wanted to soak up Jeff's presence while he could. Nothing would be getting him out of this bed in a hurry.

Nick spoke in a low voice, aware of the three others sleeping in the room. "What's on your mind, Jeff? Talk to me."

Jeff sighed with his eyes closed. When he opened them, Nick saw all the emotion that was coursing through the boy. "I'm afraid, Nick. I don't know what's going to happen now."

Nick pulled him closer, wrapping his arms more firmly around him, listening as he spoke.

"I don't know what to say to Brittany, or to my mother, or my father. I don't want to go back there, but I know I have to."

Nick looked at him. "You don't have to, Jeff. You can stay in here."

"I do have to, at least for a while." He shook his head. "Don't think I'm leaving you though, I'll definitely be back."

Nick grinned at him. "Deal."

Jeff laughed softly, looking around the room over Nick's back.

"Is anyone else awake?"

The older boy shook his head. "No, I don't think so..."

"Morning, boys."

Jeff jumped as Sebastian's head appeared upside down in his vision, hanging down from his bunk.

Nick laughed, looking over his shoulder at his cousin. "Morning."

"Well, you two look awfully cosy yet again. Is this becoming a habit that I should be made aware of?" He thought for a second. "And does your pregnant fiancée know about this?"

Jeff groaned. "You heard too?"

"Yup."

"Oh. Well, she's not pregnant. She lied."

Sebastian raised an upside-down eyebrow. "Why?"

"Cause she's a cow." Nick's muffled voice came from the pillow. He looked up, seeing the surprised look on Jeff's face. "Sorry Jeff."

The younger boy laughed. "No, it's alright. I think that's the most unforgiving thing I've ever heard you say."

"Nicky here's a nice guy," Sebastian nodded as he spoke.

A sleepy voice spoke up from across the room. "Why is there so much racket at this unearthly hour? Some of us need our beauty sleep." Finn looked around.

Sam snorted from below him. "Not you, Finn. It's not gonna get you anywhere."

Nick raised an eyebrow, rolling sideways onto his back, Jeff propped up on his elbow on the other side of him. Apparently Finn and Sam had been awake and only just decided to make themselves known. He wondered how much they'd heard.

"So your girlfriend's not preggers, Jeff?" Well, that answered that question.

Jeff looked at Sam. "No."

"Aww, sorry man. Those First Class girls are always looking for attention."

"That's not the only reason she did it." Nick looked up at them. "She thinks Jeff's going to leave her."

The three others in the room looked at Jeff. "Really?"

"Yeah," Jeff nodded, "She thinks I'm going to leave her for Nick."

In front of his face, Sebastian's mouth dropped open. Looking around, he saw similar expressions on the faces of Finn and Sam.

Nick was surprised. He hadn't thought Jeff would actually tell them that.

There was a lengthy pause in the room before Sebastian seemed to regain control of himself and snap his mouth shut, opening it again almost instantly.

"So, _are _you?"

Jeff looked away, avoiding the most prominent part of the question. "I'm going to leave her, yes."

Sebastian met Nick's eyes, and the younger boy shook his head slightly, warning his cousin not to say anything else. This was most definitely already awkward enough for Jeff.

"Well," Sebastian's head disappeared briefly while he jumped down from the top bunk, "Good for you, mate."

Beside him, Nick spoke. "Let's go get some breakfast. I think the bells rang a couple of minutes ago." He looked to Jeff. "You want to come with us?"

The blond nodded. "Definitely."

Standing up, Nick leant down and offered a hand to Jeff, helping him up. As they stood beside the bed, Nick's hand still resting on Jeff's, the brunette looked at the other's clothes. "Wow, you're really making a habit of sleeping in your good clothes, aren't you?"

Jeff looked down. He was still dressed in his black trousers, with his tucked in shirt coming loose at his hips. His bowtie still hung around his neck, and he noticed his black suit jacket on the floor where he must have discarded it sometime during the night. He laughed. "You know, the last two nights have been the best night's sleep of my life and I've been wearing a suit for both of them."

Sam laughed as he hopped up out of bed, stretching. "I can see it now: 'Tuxedos and Formalwear the New Rage for Sleeping Attire'." He pulled on his clothes.

Sebastian looked at Jeff. "You know, it might have been who you were sleeping _with_, not what you were sleeping _in_." He smirked at them.

Jeff blushed.

Nick glanced at the blond again. "If you're going to be in Third Class, you're going to have to dress like you are." He picked up his bag, rifling through the contents. Pulling out some long pants and a plain white shirt, he handed them to Jeff, looking at him sheepishly. "Sorry they aren't cleaner."

"Nick," Jeff said softly, "You know I don't care about that." He looked around. "Now, where can I get changed?"

Sebastian laughed. "Right where you are seems like a pretty good spot." Seeing the look on the boy's face, he smirked. "Aww, little Jeffy's all shy. It's alright, we'll turn around."

As Jeff shrugged off his shirt, Sebastian glanced at his cousin.

"Oi, you too, Nick."

* * *

**Thank you everyone for your lovely reviews from the last chapter! **

**I hope you enjoyed this one just as much :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry it's late. Please enjoy!**

* * *

As the five of them headed down to breakfast, Nick and Jeff trailed slightly behind the other three. They walked along in silence, Nick nodding occasionally to other passengers, Jeff receiving a few puzzled looks.

Nick glanced at him. "It seems you're quite well known."

Jeff looked confused. "Why?"

"Lots of people know about the Sterlings." Nick shrugged, smiling at him. "They're probably wondering what you're doing down in steerage wearing civilian clothes."

"Well, for what it's worth, they're really comfortable."

"Listen, Jeff." Nick put his hand on the boy's arm and turned to face him. "There might be some guys you'll meet at breakfast...well, they were there last night and they heard about the pregnancy too. So, just tell me if you want to leave, ok? They'll probably have lots of questions."

Jeff was confused. "How do they even know who I am?"

Nick's cheeks flushed red and he looked down. "Well, Sebastian might have told them we spent the night 'wrapped in each other's arms'."

Jeff smirked. "Of course he did." He laid a hand over Nick's on his arm. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

As they walked into the hall, Nick replied. "Well, good. But let me know if you're not."

After grabbing some porridge for their breakfast, the two headed over to a table near the wall where Jeff could see Sebastian, Finn and Sam greeting some other boys who looked to be about their age.

"This is Blaine, Wes, David and Thad." Nick pointed each one out to Jeff as he spoke. "Guys, this is Jeff."

"Hey," Jeff nodded to each of them. The table was strangely silent for a moment, until the tallest of the four spoke up.

"Jeff...Sterling?" When Nick nodded, David's eyebrow rose in surprise. "Well, I never thought I'd see _you_ down here, mate."

Jeff just smiled politely as he and Nick took the last two seats. He knew his presence would probably be strange to the others; it was even strange to _him_. He knew the right thing to do would be to go back to his cabin on B Deck and return to his daily routine, but he wasn't sure he could do that anymore. He didn't _want_ to. Nick made him feel things he'd never felt before – he felt loved and cared for. The two of them had grown incredibly close in just a few short days, and Jeff wouldn't change it for the world. Nick opened his eyes to a new life, and now, it could almost be in his reach.

Although he wasn't sure _what_ was going on between them, Jeff knew what he wanted to happen. Waking up in Nick's arms the past two mornings had been the best thing to ever happen to Jeff. He was beginning to realise that his feelings for the other boy ran much, much deeper than friendship. And he was becoming more and more certain each time he saw Nick that maybe, just _maybe_, he felt the same for him.

Jeff knew he shouldn't be having these thoughts while he was still engaged to Brittany, but it wasn't as though he and she were in a typical relationship filled with love and care. And, in just a couple of short hours, if Jeff got his way, they wouldn't be in a relationship at all. The thought filled him with such a lightness that he thought he might just lift off his seat and float away.

"Jeff?" He heard a whisper in his ear, and looked up to see Nick looking at him, concern in his brown eyes. "Are you alright?"

The blond nodded, unshed tears in his eyes. "Yes." He looked at Nick with a smile on his face. "_Yes_."

After he broke up with Brittany, he knew _exactly_ what he had to do.

Nick smiled back at him, still whispering. "I'm glad."

* * *

To Nick's surprise, none of the boys at the breakfast table commented any further on Jeff's strange presence or the news they'd heard about him the night before. He guessed they realised it was a sensitive topic, after all, it wasn't often a First Class passenger even made an appearance in Third Class, let alone _ate _there.

As they ate, the conversation at the table never stopped, and Nick was glad to see the other boys laughing and joking with Jeff, making him feel comfortable to be in their presence. The smile on Jeff's face told Nick all he needed to know.

Once the meal was over, and they'd sat talking for a while, the two groups parted again. Sebastian, Sam and Finn headed off with the four others and Nick and Jeff walked slowly back to the cabin, hands in their pockets.

When Nick reached to open the door, Jeff stopped him, placing a hand on his elbow.

"I should go now." He swallowed. "I've got to, uh, talk to my parents. And Brittany."

Nick nodded. "You'll be fine, Jeff. You deserve to be happy."

The blond turned to leave. "I'll see you later, then?"

"Yeah. See you later." As Nick started into the cabin, Jeff called out.

"Listen, Nick," Walking up to him, he placed his arms around the boy. "Thank you," he whispered in his ear, "For everything."

Nick just held onto him even tighter, nodding into Jeff's shoulder. "I'll see you soon, Jeff."

As he let Nick go, Jeff smiled at him once more before slipping away down the passageway. He really wasn't looking forward to what he was about to do, but he knew it had to be done, for his own sake.

As he neared the First Class facilities, he realised the amount of looks he was receiving. Jeff wasn't surprised really, being dressed in some of Nick's clothes which were not quite up to par with the rest of the First Class passengers. He passed Mr Figgins, nodding in greeting as the small man's eyes seemed to pop out of his head. If it wasn't for the situation, Jeff could have laughed at the look on his face.

Arriving at his cabin on B Deck, Jeff slipped inside. Closing the door behind him, he realised one person must have been inside as it was unlocked. He walked as quietly as he could to his room, before picking up a bag and shoving several sets of his most casual clothes inside. After this horrible discussion was over, he was going to return to Nick in the hope of staying with him for the rest of the journey. Picking up his half-full bag, he slung it over his shoulder and walked out to the foyer to wait for someone to find him.

Sitting on the settee, he placed his bag beside him. Glancing around the room, his eyes settled on the canvases in the corner where Nick had thrown them the day before. His eyebrows rose, surprised his mother hadn't thrown them out already. Moving to pick them up, he put them in his bag to return to Nick later.

Just as he was sitting down again, Brittany came down the hall.

She looked at him with an unreadable expression on her face. "I thought I heard someone." She eyed his bag. "What are you doing with that?"

Jeff stood up abruptly, deciding to get straight to the point. "Listen, Brittany. Here's the thing: I don't appreciate you treating me as if I'm nothing, and I sure don't appreciate it when you start rumours about us. So, to put it plainly, I'm leaving."

She looked at him neutrally for a moment before laughing humourlessly. "We're on a ship, Jeffery - where do you think you are going to go?"

He shrugged. "I don't care. As long as it's not here."

"Let me guess. You're going to go back down to Third Class with _Nicholas_ and live happily ever after, right?" She shook her head. "Sorry, that's not going to happen."

"Well, Brittany, it couldn't be any worse than living here. And it's not up to you to decide, because our engagement is over."

She laughed at him. "No it's not, Jeff. Do you really think you can get away from your parents that easily? You're their only son, about to take over one of the largest franchises in the world. Don't be petty. You're such a child sometimes."

"Exactly, Brittany! I'm only seventeen years old. I'm far too young to have my whole life planned out ahead of me. This is _not_ the life I want. You have grown up always being right where you want to be, but not me. So if I seem like such a child to you sometimes, that's because I am. And I'm allowed to be."

She shook her head at him, glaring. "You can't escape this life, Jeff! And you shouldn't want to, anyway. If you're lucky enough to have it in the first place, there's no way you can get rid of it."

Jeff scoffed at her. "_Lucky_, Brittany? _How_ are we lucky? Because we have money? Money is the biggest curse on the planet." He shook his head. "Nothing good can come of it. Say what you like to me, but I'm still leaving you. I'm still leaving my parents. And I'm definitely still leaving this life."

A harsh voice sounded from the doorway. "You will do no such thing, Jeffery."

Jeff whipped his head around to see both his parents glaring at him. This was suddenly looking a whole lot worse. Sure, the idea of it had even unsettled Jeff a bit, but now that he was seeing his parents, in the flesh, with such anger on their faces, he began to wish he'd stayed with Nick.

His father took a few steps towards him. "You selfish boy. We have brought you up to be nothing but respectful and yet this is how you repay us? We have given you everything you will ever need in life."

Jeff stepped up to his father. "Sure, you've given me what you think I need. But you haven't given me what I _want_. It's always been about the money, or the business, or how we appear to other people."

His mother spoke up then, ice in her voice. "You're too young to decide what you want, Jeffery."

"So that means you get to plan my whole life for me? Sorry, mother." He looked around the room. "None of _this_ is what I want."

"Don't be stupid, Jeffery. Where are you planning on going anyway? Back to your little poor _friend_ in steerage? And then what?"

Jeff shrugged. "I don't care. Anything would be better than this."

Seeing as he was looking at his mother, Jeff was not expecting the hit that came from his father. It was quite similar to the one he'd received the day before, his eyes watering, his cheeks burning.

"We've brought you up to be better than this, you ungrateful boy! Get out, right now. I don't want to see you for the remainder of the trip. I don't care where you go, or what you do, just don't be in my sight. Maybe then you'll understand how lucky you really are, and appreciate everything we've done for you."

Jeff stood tall in front of the man who'd raised him. "Don't worry, I won't be back." He picked up his bag, moving to the door. "It's funny, you know. I have everything I need, and you didn't give any of it to me."

"Oh, Jeffery, you think that if you go down to steerage you'll live happily ever after? That boy can't give you anything." Brittany sneered at him.

Jeff paused, his hand on the door handle. "He already has. He's given me more than you ever could, and I love him for it." As he heard gasps coming from the others in the room, his own eyes widened at the realisation. "I love him."

Tears came to Jeff's eyes as he finally admitted it to himself. He was in love with Nick. He'd known him for just three short days, and the boy had shown him more than Jeff had thought was possible. He'd made him feel more loved and cared for and safe than he had in his entire life.

"How dare you!" His mother spat at him, her face red.

All Jeff could do was smile. "Goodbye, mother."

With that, he glanced at the three faces in the room one last time before walking out the door, not looking back. A grin came to his face as he hurried down the corridor for the last time.

He had a new life waiting for him, and it was only just beginning.


	16. Chapter 16

**I don't own Glee.**

**Thank you to everyone who reads and takes the time to review, I really enjoy knowing what you think!**

* * *

Nick was restless.

It had been almost an hour since he'd watched Jeff walk away, and he just didn't know what to do. He'd tried sitting down, but he wouldn't stop rubbing his hands together. He'd tried standing, but found his leg wouldn't stop bouncing. So then he'd decided that he needed something to concentrate on. He'd painted a picture of the cabin, which took him all of ten minutes – after all, it only takes so long to paint a white room– and looked absolutely horrible because of his shaking hands. So he'd torn up that canvas without a second thought.

And then he'd moved on to counting things in the room. Hinges. Handles. Bedposts. Spiders. Lifejackets. Drool spots on Finn's pillow (he'd given up after losing count three times).

Then Nick had realised what he was trying to avoid – thinking. So he stopped trying to avoid it.

He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. He was lying flat on his back on his bed, and his mind was being bombarded with thoughts.

All of them revolved around Jeff.

Nick didn't _know_ what was going to happen, and that scared him, more than he thought possible. He just wanted Jeff to march through the door right that moment and put him out of his misery. He wanted to see the smile back on the blonde's face, the light back in his eyes.

Rolling onto his side, he wondered where Jeff was. Perhaps he was in their suite, fighting with his parents. Perhaps he wasn't. Perhaps his parents had told him they could give him a better life and he believed them.

Nick shook his head firmly, squeezing his eyes shut tightly, forcing the thought away. No, he wouldn't allow himself to think like that. Even if he wasn't sure what they were to each other, Jeff wouldn't just desert him, even if they'd only known each other for three days. They'd formed such a close relationship that the intensity of it often shocked Nick. He couldn't remember a single time in his life when that had happened before, and he welcomed it, relishing in the feeling of having someone so close.

Nick just couldn't believe the _intensity_ of his feelings for Jeff. A simple glance at him had his heart beating wildly in his chest. The smallest touch made his cheeks flood with redness. The way his blond hair fell into his eyes made his breath catch in his throat. A smile from him made his body warm from the tips of his hair right down to his toes.

Nick had never believed in fate. But maybe some things _did_ happen for a reason. If he hadn't have walked down the deck at that time on Wednesday afternoon, he might not have ever met Jeff. If he'd been a minute earlier, he might have passed straight by him somewhere further down the ship, looking the other way. If he'd been a five minutes later, perhaps he wouldn't have been on the deck at all.

The thought of having never met Jeff _terrified_ Nick.

Before he'd boarded the _Titanic_, he just took life as it came at him, worrying about things when they happened, doing things when they needed to be done. He'd often had visions of him and Sebastian just wandering around America, perhaps staying in New York, or heading further, but now Jeff was always by their side. When he closed his eyes, he could imagine the three of them sleeping under a bridge at night, or walking through miles and miles of bushland.

So Nick thinking of the possibility of never even crossing paths with Jeff was something unfathomable. The blond meant so much to Nick now that even the _thought_ of living without him put a sense of dread through his mind.

Nick was thankful that he'd met Jeff. He wasn't sure he'd ever been more thankful for anything. And he had a feeling Jeff felt the same way.

Nick knew what Jeff _meant_ to him, but the boy was just getting out of a horrible relationship. He wouldn't be looking for anything any time soon. And that was ok. Nick would wait, as long as it took, if Jeff would have him. The thought brought a smile to his face. The day Nick was worthy of Jeff...well, the earth might as well stop turning. He was the most kind-hearted person Nick had ever met. He'd stayed in an engagement he hadn't wanted to be in to please his parents and fiancée. He was kind, and he was selfless. And there was definitely more to him than meets the eye.

There was a knock at the door. A small, tentative one no doubt, but a knock. Nick hopped up off his bed, his heart beating in anticipation as he walked to the door as calmly as possible.

He knew it was Jeff. But how would he be? Angry? Sad? _Happy_?

He pulled open the door, gasping as he looked at him. The left side of his face was a reddish purple colour and slightly swollen. Obviously he'd taken another hit to the face.

Nick put out his hands to cup Jeff's face. "Are you ok?" His voice was soft, gentle, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine." Jeff smiled at him, wincing at the pain.

Nick's voice was a whisper as he took another step closer. "I'm glad." He lightly grazed his knuckles over the angry mark as Jeff's eyes fluttered closed at the contact.

A couple passed by them in the passageway, looking curiously at the odd scene before them. Of course, Nick realised how it must have looked. They were two young men, standing no further than half a foot away from each other, Nick's hands cupping Jeff's face as he grazed his cheek. Something else he had only just noticed was that Jeff's left hand was resting lightly on Nick's waist in an effort to steady himself. Clearly he was exhausted.

Nick moved his hands away and stepped inside, letting Jeff into the now familiar room. He closed the door behind them.

"Jeff, are you sure that you're ok?"

Tears came to Jeff's eyes as he noticed the concern in Nick's. It felt so nice to know someone actually cared.

He nodded, looking into the other boy's deep brown eyes. "I am."

"Here, let me take that for you." Nick reached over and grasped the bag Jeff held in his right hand, placing it beside his own by the bed. "Now, who hit you?"

"My father."

"Oh. So you talked to your parents as well as Brittany?"

Jeff nodded. "Well, I wouldn't say we talked, because that would imply they were civil. We argued. They tried to stop me from leaving, but I said no, that I'd rather be anywhere but there. Then my father hit me and kicked me out. Said he didn't want to see me for the rest of the journey."

Nick shook his head. "I'm so sorry, Jeff."

"Don't be. I'm not."

There was a pause for a moment. "What are they going to say when everyone in First Class realises you're missing?"

Jeff shrugged. "I'm not sure. They'll probably just say I'm ill or something like that."

"What did they say about the pregnancy?"

"Nothing. Nobody even mentioned it." Jeff closed his eyes. "I just want it all to be over."

Nick rested his hand on Jeff's arm. "It will be, Jeff. It can be now, if you want it to be." He paused. "Now, you lie down on my bed while I go grab you some ice for that bruise." He looked at Jeff. "I'll be right back, ok?"

"Thank you, Nick." Jeff stepped forward, surprising Nick as he placed his lips softly upon his cheek. "Thank you."

Nick could only nod, his cheek still burning from the touch, as Jeff slipped under the blankets.

He stepped out into the passageway, and when he re-entered the room several minutes later with a cloth of ice, Jeff was sound asleep. He positioned the ice so that it was resting against Jeff's coloured cheek. As he climbed over the sleeping boy and settled in behind him, he left his hand on top of the cloth, holding it in place. He curled his other arm tightly around Jeff's waist.

Even as they slept, he was going to let Jeff know as well as he could that he would be there for him.


	17. Chapter 17

The next time Jeff awoke it was late afternoon.

Nick was sitting up in bed beside him, holding a fresh lot of ice to his cheek.

"Hey," he whispered when he saw his eyes flutter open, "How are you feeling?"

Jeff sighed, stretching his muscles. "Good." He looked up at Nick. "My face feels a lot better. How much ice have you put on it?"

"This is the third lot. I have to keep taking it off though so the cold doesn't burn your skin."

Jeff smiled. "Well it feels much better. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Nick looked down at him. "Have you had enough sleep?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm not even sure I'll sleep tonight now. I feel as awake as ever."

Nick frowned. "Well, considering one of your eyes is almost swollen shut, you don't look it."

"Are you teasing me, Duval?"

"Maybe I am, Sterling. What are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing. Yet."

Nick smirked. "I always win." He carefully placed the ice back on Jeff's face. "And don't worry; your face is hardly even swollen, thanks to all the ice. It will probably be bruised for a couple of days though. But overall, I think you'll live."

Jeff laughed. "Thanks for the heads up, doc."

"I think I've found my true calling." Nick pressed the ice back against Jeff's face.

"Ow!"

"Hmm. Maybe not."

Jeff laughed, remembering something. He reached down to his black bag on the floor, pulling it up on the bed with them. "Hey, I have something for you."

Nick looked on curiously. "For me?"

"Yeah." He paused, pulling the canvases out of the bag. "Here, these were left in our cabin yesterday. I thought I'd salvage them for you before my mother got to them."

Nick reached out his hand, taking the paintings from Jeff. He was amazed. "Wow. Thank you so much, Jeff. I honestly never thought I'd see these again."

The blond nodded. "It's ok, I know how much they mean to you. I have to ask though...how do you usually keep them without Sebastian seeing them?"

Nick chuckled. "Well, at first he wanted to see them _all_ the time, but I kept refusing to show him. They're like a little private part of me that I like to keep quiet about, you know? Anyway, after a while, he just sort of stopped asking to see them. He knows how important they are to me." He looked up at Jeff. "Although, that doesn't stop him from occasionally threatening to steal them one day when I'm not around."

Jeff laughed, looking around the empty room. "Where _are_ the others, anyway?"

"I don't know. Haven't seen them since breakfast. I guess they're up on deck, there's not much else to do in Third Class."

Jeff propped himself up onto his elbows, looking at Nick. "Listen, I just wanted to ask you properly if I could stay here with you for the rest of the trip. I'm sorry, before I just sort of assumed it would be alright."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Of course you can stay here. I wouldn't let you go anywhere else."

"Thanks, Nick. It really means a lot to me." Jeff smiled at him.

"It's ok, Jeff. I'd do anything for you. Besides, if you weren't here, who else would keep me warm at night? I've become used to sharing my bed with you."

Jeff grinned, the uninjured side of his face lifting slightly higher than the other. "Well good. Because so have I." He turned towards Nick on the small bed. "So what's on the go tonight? Any more Third Class parties?"

"Oh, Jeff. There's _always_ Third Class parties. But I had something different in mind for tonight. If it's alright with you, that is."

Jeff shrugged. "Great. So what is it?"

"Well, I heard that Second Class is holding a dance, sort of like a ball. They're doing the whole gown and suit thing. I just thought it might be fun."

"Sounds good." Jeff nodded. "I'm not sure if you've realised that we're not in Second Class though, Nicholas."

"Good thing you reminded me then, isn't it?" Nick laughed. "It's not like a really strict thing. We can just waltz up in our finest and join in on the fun."

"That actually sounds really good. So when does it start?"

"Sometime after dinner. I don't think there's an actual time for it, it's more like one of those 'arrive when you're ready' type of things."

"Well then let's go get some dinner, Mr Duval, so the fun can start already!"

Nick laughed. Jeff _seemed_ like he was back to his usual self, but he was worried because he should have been more upset. A huge thing had just happened to him, and it wasn't as if Nick was going to blame him if he was a bit distressed.

"Jeff, you know you can talk to me, right? What you just did this morning was no small feat, and I don't want it to eat you up inside while I just stand around watching."

Jeff smiled at him. "Thanks, Nick. I just...I feel ok about it though." He shrugged. "It's like this huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I know that I wouldn't have had the guts to do it if I'd never met you. You saved me, Nick. And I will be eternally grateful to you."

Nick smiled, shaking his head. "I didn't save you, Jeff."

"Yes you did! You saved me in every possible way. Before I met you, I loathed my life, I hated it. When I thought about my future I was filled with dread. But now," he shook his head, tears filling his eyes, "now when I think ahead it's an endless realm of possibilities, and I have you and only you to thank for that. So I'm fairly certain I'm allowed to say you saved me. You're my best friend Nick, even though we've only known each other for three days."

Nick smiled, his brown eyes softening as he looked at the boy he cared so much about. "You're my best friend too."

"More than Sebastian?"

"Eh, he's my cousin; I have to like him."

"Hey!" Sebastian's voice came from the doorway. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that."

Nick and Jeff both looked up to see him standing there with his hands on his hips.

"Hey Sebby," Nick smiled at him, "And how long have you been listening to our conversation?"

"Long enough to know you only like me cause you have to."

Jeff laughed. "Oh don't worry Sebastian; he was just saying that to make me feel better."

The tall boy smirked. "Of that, I have no doubt." Seeing the horrified look on his cousin's face, he continued. "Anyway, I was just coming to find you lovebirds to tell you that Sam, Finn and I are going to go grab some dinner now, if you can pull yourselves away from each other long enough to join us."

"Sebastian! What are you..." Nick shook his head, throwing the ice cloth into the pile of older ones. "You know what? Never mind. Come on Jeff, let's eat."

Sebastian smirked as he watched Jeff get off the bed and help Nick up. Maybe he did tease them a bit, but who could blame him? He was beginning to lose count of the times he'd seen them huddled up on the same bed, sleeping or talking. And the number of times they'd casually touched each other? Please. No ordinary friends did that, especially not in the manner he'd seen the two of them do it.

He wondered how long it would take them to get together. Obviously they were both crazy about each other. Everyone else could see it, even if they couldn't. He and some of the boys even had money on who would make the first move. It wasn't a lot; pretty much just what they had with them, but it seemed to be a fairly even game. Sebastian put his money on Jeff. He'd grown up with Nick for long enough to know how shy he was, and if it was left up to Nick to make the first move, they wouldn't be together before they were thirty, and that was still quite a few years away. Sam had also opted for Jeff, whereas Finn had put his faith in Nick's quiet, passionate nature. Thad and David had also joined in, the former going for Nick, the other for Jeff. So Jeff was ahead 3-2. Only time would tell what the results would be now, and Sebastian had a feeling they wouldn't have to wait long to find out.

As Jeff turned towards him in the light, Sebastian could see the purple bruise down the left side of his face. He had been concerned when Jeff had said that morning he was going to talk to his parents, and apparently he had every right to be.

When Jeff noticed Sebastian looking at his face, he nodded slightly, placing a hand on Nick's back as they headed towards him. The tall boy returned the nod, understanding what Jeff was telling him.

Sebastian liked this boy. He obviously thought Nick was worth fighting for, and that was good enough in his opinion.


	18. Chapter 18

**I don't own Glee.**

**Thank you to those who read and review, I really appreciate all of your comments.**

* * *

"So, guys, what are your plans once we arrive in the big smoke?" Sam looked around, leaving the question open for any of his new friends to answer. They were sitting at one of the largest tables in the Dining Room, plates and cutlery spread across the table. Jackets were slung over the back of chairs, shoes were kicked off and lying discarded beneath them.

When they'd walked into the room earlier that evening – Sebastian and Finn in front, Sam in the middle, Nick and Jeff trailing behind – they'd seen a madly waving Thad gesturing at them from the table at which they were currently sitting, surrounded by his fellow roommates.

The Dining Room was now packed to the rafters. It was right on seven o'clock in the evening, and families were flocking in, eager to add the fuel to their bodies to keep themselves warm.

It was noisy; it was crowded. And Jeff loved every second of it.

"Ah," said Wes, swallowing a mouthful of bread, "not sure. At the moment we're planning on finding a cheap apartment of some sort in the city and setting up camp." He shrugged, glancing at his friends. "Hopefully a job will find its way in there somewhere."

"Yeah, or else we'll be living on the streets again. We've got a bit of money saved up to keep us going for a couple of weeks, but not a lot." Thad's mouth was full of food, pieces flying everywhere as he spoke. He gulped, wincing as he did so.

Nick looked interested. "So you guys are all going to live together?"

"Yup," David nodded, "one big bachelor pad."

Sebastian laughed, along with the rest of the boys at the table. "Wow, what a place that would be."

"Well that's the plan at the moment, until I settle down with someone and get away from these losers."

Thad looked at Blaine as the quiet boy spoke, his hand placed over his heart with a hurt expression on his face. "Blainers! I'm wounded. How you hurt me so!"

David rolled his eyes at his two friends affectionately before looking to Sebastian and Nick across the table. "What about you guys?"

Sebastian looked at Nick who raised his eyebrows before leaning forward, his elbows resting on the tabletop. "Our plan is that there is no plan." He sat back with a smile, as if he'd just found the cure for the common influenza or tuberculosis.

Wes nodded, looking thoughtful. "I like that. No plans; nothing but the whole country ahead of you."

Nick shrugged. "Well, there was nothing left for us in England. We lost our families, our homes. We saw the ticket sales for the _Titanic_ and we thought we might as well give it a go, you know?" He looked over at his cousin and shrugged again. "If America doesn't work out for us, we might move on to Europe, or Australia, or somewhere else completely new."

Jeff lowered his eyes as Nick spoke. If America didn't _work out _for them? He'd never thought about that. The possibility had never even crossed his mind. Nick and Sebastian, they were free, they had no obligations, they could do as they liked. Of course they'd move on if they didn't like America. He hoped desperately that wouldn't happen. Nick was the first real _friend_ he'd ever had, and the way his feelings were towards Nick, Jeff just didn't know what he'd do if Nick wasn't even on the same _continent_ as him. At least if he was in America he might have the chance to see him occasionally.

Although, Jeff wasn't sure which was better. If they were going their separate ways, perhaps a clean break would be better. Would it be better to never see Nick again, or to see him once every two or three years, each time adding a wife, a family, a house, a job to each of them? It would only be harder and harder for Jeff each time he saw the boy who was currently sitting right beside him. He knew his feelings for Nick wouldn't ever go away.

Perhaps he was over thinking things. Maybe Nick and Sebastian would love America, maybe they wouldn't. It was out of Jeff's hands, anyhow.

Beside the troubled blond, Nick sat quietly, his thoughts travelling in a similar direction to Jeff's. All this time he and Sebastian had been planning their trip, he'd never seen a fault; never so much as spotted a flaw.

Until now.

If things didn't go Nick's way and Jeff _wasn't_ able to come with them, would Nick be able to leave the country if he wanted to go somewhere else?

No.

He couldn't leave Jeff, even if the blond decided he didn't want Nick in his life. Nick would always be in the shadows, waiting, _hoping_ Jeff would change his mind.

As long as he and Jeff were apart, Nick knew he could never go far away.

But what about Sebastian? He glanced to the right, watching his cousin as he laughed at something Thad was saying. If Sebastian totally, _totally_ hated America, would he want to leave? Nick couldn't really imagine that happening, though. Sebastian was a fairly easy person to please; the country he was in wouldn't bother him. As long as there was oxygen to breathe, Sebastian would be right at home.

Nick knew what he would do if the time ever came to make such a decision.

He shook his head. He would have plenty of time to worry about it when – _if_ – the time ever came. He straightened in his chair and looked up, stretching his legs out beneath the table.

" – and so I looked at her and I thought _fine_. If that's the way she wants to play, then fine." Wes' hands were waving madly as he spoke. Nick had no idea what he was talking about, but judging from the looks on the faces of his friends, it must have been a good story. He saw Jeff sitting silently beside him, his eyes in his lap. Obviously he was oblivious to the story as well.

"So she comes running at me! I swear, her wings were purple and she must have had at _least_ a two metre wing span."

Nick's eyebrows furrowed, the one sentence capturing his attention. He looked around the table, confused, noticing a very similar looking Jeff beside him. "Wait, _what_?"

There was silence for a few moments before Wes laughed, throwing his hands in the air. "Yes! Six minutes and thirty seconds. I win. You owe me, the lot of you."

The others at the table – bar Nick and Jeff – all grumbled, leaning back in their chairs and looking at Wes with disdain. He just smiled at them. "Sore losers. You're all sore losers."

Thad frowned. "I swear you're psychic or something sometimes, mate."

Wes grinned.

"Would someone please like to fill me in on what's happening?" Jeff leant forward, his elbows resting on the cool, wooden tabletop. He raised his eyebrows expectantly.

David laughed at the serious look on the blond's face. "We had a bet on how long it would take you guys to leave your own little worlds over there to come back and join us at the table." He smirked. "Wes decided to make up a little story to help you guys on the way."

Wes looked smug. "I was the only one who had you guys pegged for under the ten minute mark. I won by a mile."

"Well," Sebastian spoke up, "I know what Nick's like when he gets lost in his thoughts. A murder could take place right in front of him and he wouldn't even notice."

Jeff sat back in his chair. "Right. You couldn't have just, I don't know, clicked your fingers in front of us or something?"

"And where," Thad smirked, "would be the fun in that?"

Nick laughed. "You guys sure are one of a kind." He shook his head. "Where did you find these ones again, Sebastian?"

"In a back alley in a cardboard box with 'free to any home' written on it."

Thad's mouth fell open. "You mock us, sir!"

Sebastian smirked. "I do."

"I have never been so poorly treated in my _life_." David shook his head. "What is the world coming to?"

Nick smiled, relaxing back into his seat. This, _this_, is what life was about for him. Good friends and good memories. Being able to sit around to simply enjoy life, and to not have to worry about the next day, or the next week, or the future.

He looked at Jeff beside him, smiling as their eyes met as the playful banter continued around the table. Jeff rolled his eyes in amusement, looking out over the table where he noticed Blaine delicately arranging leftover peas onto his fork and aiming it at his friends. Jeff stifled a laugh as he let it fly, the assault landing on the unsuspecting faces of Finn, Sebastian and David.

Blaine looked away indifferently, focusing on a spot on the other side of the large room with an interested expression on his face.

There was a dead silence at the table as everyone looked to the quiet boy incredulously. David snorted.

"And everyone thinks _you're_ the nice one."

Blaine shrugged.

Nick laughed as an assault of food came from the direction of every seat at the table, ducking as a small dob of mashed potato landed on the side of his nose. Jeff was crouching in his seat beside him, laughing, as he tried to futilely cover his bruised face with his hands to protect it from further injury.

Nick slipped out of his seat, shielding himself underneath the table as he crouched down on the floor. He was joined a moment later by Jeff, breathless with laughter. They sat silently for a moment, listening to the sounds of the war continuing above them.

Jeff looked at Nick for a moment, before bringing his hand up to Nick's face and wiping the offending potato off his nose with his thumb. Nick smiled in thanks as the blond wiped his hand on his pants, leaving a white smudge on the thigh of his slacks.

They sat in amused silence for several minutes as they crouched beneath the table, watching the legs of their friends move as they fought a valiant battle just a foot above them. Nick smiled at Jeff, who was having a hard time not laughing at the situation. He sat there, his shoulders shaking and his shock of blond hair falling into his eyes. The older boy couldn't help but laugh along with him.

Jeff just couldn't do anything _but_ laugh. For years he had been brought up at many different dinner tables, each time acting with impeccable maturity and manners. And now, here he was, on the largest ocean liner in the world, in the _Third_ Class Dining Room, hiding under a cheaply made wooden table with Nick as his new friends threw food at each other above him. He laughed at the absurdity of it all; at the way his life had changed so dramatically in just a few short days. He laughed at the thought that he now had friends, real-life, actual _friends_, not just snobbish children of wealthy Senators, or the offspring of his parents' business partners. Friends. People who cared about him, laughed with him, cried with him. People who made him forget about his parents and Brittany in First Class, or what he was supposed to wear to dine with the Captain, or how he was supposed to act, or what he was supposed to say.

He looked at Nick, the boy who had thrown his life in a whirlwind in such a short amount of time. He'd redefined everything Jeff thought he had once known, everything he had once done.

And all he could think was that there was no way he was going back.

Nick, cocking his head to the side and hearing nothing but silence above them, looked at the blond, unaware of the thoughts flooding his mind. "I think the coast is clear."

Jeff nodded. Nick peeked his eyes up just over the edge of the tabletop, only to be met with the sight of seven other pairs staring back at him. He ducked quickly back down to the floor and looked at the blond, still crouched protectively. "No it's not! Retreat, retreat!"

Jeff laughed before hauling himself up off the floor and back into his seat, Nick following closely behind. It was silent for a moment as they settled back into their chairs.

"You're a pair of princesses, both of you." Thad looked across the now very messy table at them. "Afraid of a little food."

Jeff laughed as he looked around his friends. It seemed everyone had food of some form on themselves; in their hair, on their clothes. Everyone except Blaine, who looked as immaculate as always.

Nick scoffed. "I don't look this good by chance, you know. As if I'm about to let a bit of food wreck all my hard work."

Sebastian laughed, tossing a stray piece of bread crust in his mouth. "I think that would be an improvement, Nicky."

For the umpteenth time this trip, Nick found himself again as the laughingstock of the table. He rolled his eyes, smiling, as he glanced around at his friends. He took a sip of his water, ignoring the shreds of food floating around on the surface.

He glanced across at Jeff and smiled at him when their eyes met. If everyone was going to be this happy and carefree for the rest of the journey, maybe being the laughingstock of everything wouldn't be so bad.

He looked at Sebastian and noticed a mischievous glint enter his cousin's eye as he opened his mouth to speak.

Then again, maybe it would.

But he didn't care.


	19. Chapter 19

After dinner, the five boys headed back to their cabin to get dressed for the evening. Naturally, when Nick had told the others of his and Jeff's plans for the evening, Sebastian had thought it was a great idea for them all to go.

Which is how Jeff found himself searching through his bag for the best clothes he'd brought with him from First Class.

"How do people from Second Class even dress?" Finn looked around at no one in particular.

Sam put a thoughtful look on his face, before snapping his fingers as if the answer had just come to him. "Better than Third Class and worse than First Class."

While the others in the room laughed, Finn scrunched up his nose. "Sounds hard. Like being caught in limbo all the time, or something."

Sam rolled his eyes affectionately. His brother had never really caught on to the idea of Second Class. In his eyes, people either had lots of money or none. There was no in between.

"Well," Jeff began, still looking through his clothes, "They sometimes dress in suits and gowns like in First Class, but to a lesser extent. First Class clothing is much more extravagant." He looked to Nick. "Hey, do you still have that server's uniform you wore the other night?"

Nick looked around. "Yeah, it's here somewhere."

"Well you can wear that. Just lose the suspenders, or people will be summoning you from around the room all night."

He laughed. "Oh, I still have that suit of yours too."

"Hmm...maybe give that one to Sam." Jeff looked to Finn and Sebastian. "Now you guys are really tall, so you might just have to find your own pair of trousers, and you can wear these with them." Handing them both a shirt, he glanced around. "Alright, that's everyone."

As they all began to change, Sebastian turned to Jeff. "Aww, Jeffy, it's only been a day and you're already bold enough to change in front of us." He grinned at him. "You're a true Third Class man now."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Is everyone ready?"

"Yes, mother!"

"Good. Let's go then."

* * *

Several minutes later, they stepped up onto C Deck outside the entrance to the room where the dance was being held.

Sam rubbed his hands together. "Ok gents, just relax and look like you're from Second Class and they'll let you in without a second thought."

"What if someone notices who I am?" Jeff looked at the others. "After all, people from steerage did."

Sebastian frowned. "Hmm. Worry about that when it happens. For now, let's just get in there, alright boys?" He hesitated. "Finn, it might be better if you keep your mouth shut until we get inside, ok?"

Finn nodded. "Fair enough."

As they neared the doors, a couple of the crew members greeted them.

"Good evening, gentlemen." A short, brown haired man spoke up. "Enjoy your night."

Nick smiled as the others nodded. "Thank you."

When they entered, there were people scattered throughout the room, smiling and laughing with each other. Again, Jeff was amazed at the contrast between the atmosphere in First Class and Second Class. Even dressed in their finest, the passengers were respectful and pleasant people.

As Sebastian, Sam and Finn headed towards a spare table, Nick looked around. "There must be fifty people here already."

Jeff nodded. "Seems like it might be a big night. Good thing the room's so large." He shook his head. "I just can't get over how much different it feels to be at an event like this not in First Class. Everyone just talks so freely, not having to worry about how they look, or what they say. Being at something like this back home is like being stuck in a recurring nightmare."

Nick laughed. "Well then it's a good thing you never have to go to another one in your life. Come on, let's go sit down."

They sat down with the others at a table on the far side of the room, watching as more passengers entered.

As the others chatted about how many Second Class women Sebastian would be able to charm that night, Jeff looked around. There was a small string band at the opposite end of the hall, playing music as a few couples danced together. He smiled at the content looks on their faces as they moved around. That was all Jeff wanted really. Someone to hold and to love, and he had a fair idea of who he wanted for the position.

He stood, catching the attention of the four other boys. "I'm just going to go grab a drink. Would anyone else like one?"

When Finn and Nick declined, Sebastian stood. "I'll come help you with them."

As they moved towards the drinks, Jeff looked to him. "You know, if there are only three drinks, I'm sure I can manage on my own."

Sebastian smirked. "I'm sure you could. But I thought you could use some company."

"Oh. Well, thanks."

They walked in silence to the table in the corner, grabbing some glasses and filling them when they arrived.

Sebastian glanced down at Jeff. "You know, you've been through a lot in the past couple of days. You deserve to have a good time tonight." His eyes flicked towards their table. "And I'm sure there'd be someone willing to celebrate with you."

Jeff looked at him, thinking he knew what Sebastian was talking about but not sure. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Sebastian said, leaning closer, "Go for it, Jeff. He wants it just as much as you do."

The taller boy turned and straightened, picking up his and Sam's drinks as he cast Jeff a knowing look over his shoulder.

Jeff just looked at him for a long moment before nodding slightly.

He watched as Sebastian returned to the table, full of smiles and confidence. He wished he could have some of that at that moment. Jeff took a sip of his drink, swallowing as he leant against the cool wall.

Apparently Sebastian could see exactly what Jeff wanted. Holding his glass in his hand, he looked towards the table again, his eyes meeting a dark pair of brown ones.

Nick.

The boy smiled at him from all those metres away, and Jeff smiled back, neither of them looking away even after the smiles had left their faces. They continued to just stare at each other. It was so clear to Jeff; the intensity of their gazes, the passion in the other boy's eyes that he was sure was reflected in his own.

Sebastian's words rang in his head.

_Go for it, Jeff_.

He knew what he had to do.

Pushing himself off the wall, Jeff walked across the room, never breaking eye contact. As he reached the table, Nick tilted his head back to look up at him. Jeff placed his drink down on the table, noticing how silent it had become and feeling the gazes of the other boys watching them.

But he didn't dare look away from those gorgeous eyes.

He put his hand on top of Nick's, grasping it as he pulled him up from his seat at the table. He walked backwards onto the dance floor, still holding his hand as the band started playing a slow song.

Jeff's heart seemed to have slowed in his chest. He could feel his pulse beating in his ears as he let go of Nick's hand and put his hands on his waist gently, pulling him closer. Nick responded, putting one of his arms around Jeff and resting the other on his side.

There was a small smile on Nick's face as he looked into Jeff's eyes. Maybe Sebastian was right. Maybe Nick _did_ want it as much as he did.

Pulling Jeff closer, Nick rested the side of his face against his. He couldn't believe how _right_ it felt. When Jeff had come over to the table and began pulling him up, Nick hadn't resisted in the slightest. He'd never felt something so right, so intense. And he revelled in the feeling of it.

Tightening his arms around Jeff, Nick closed his eyes in content.

The two of them were oblivious to the other couples on the floor, who had stopped dancing and moved to the sides of the room with the other passengers. Some had looks of disgust on their face, some had small smiles. The majority was clearly uncomfortable with the sight of the two boys moving so close together right in front of them.

Sebastian smiled at the sight across the floor from him, his two other roommates doing the same beside him. He'd never seen Nick look so _comfortable_ before. When he'd told Jeff to go for it just minutes before, he'd meant it. The way they acted around each other...well, he'd never seen anything like it. It was quite obvious they were in love with each other, and giving them a good push in that direction hadn't hurt. And now, when they were out on the floor, without an inch of space between them, he was happy for them. They fit together perfectly, like they were made for each other.

And Sebastian couldn't help but think perhaps they _were_ made for each other.

Jeff pulled Nick even closer, if that were possible. He had him in his arms, and he wasn't planning on letting go any time soon. He felt Nick pull his head back slightly, and he did the same, staring into his brown orbs.

That moment in time was perfect.

They looked into each other's eyes for several moments, their noses brushing lightly against each other in their closeness.

Jeff knew it was now or never. He leant his head in even further so that he could feel Nick's warm breath against his mouth, and paused there for a moment.

Nick shuddered. He'd never felt _anything_ like this in his life. It was him who closed the distance, placing his lips upon Jeff's with a firm gentleness. Pulling back after a second, he looked into Jeff's eyes, feeling his shuddering breath on his cheek.

And then Jeff's lips were on his, slightly firmer than before. Nick moaned softly at the contact as he moved his own lips against Jeff's with as much passion as he could muster. Jeff's arm circled tightly around his waist as he pulled their bodies flush together, placing one of his feet between Nick's. There was not one single amount of space left between them.

Nick's arms wrapped around Jeff's neck, holding them together as they kissed. He placed one hand on the back of his head, running his fingers through the short blond hair.

Keeping his arm tightly around Nick's waist, Jeff pulled his head back slightly, gasping softly for air. Nick ran his hands down the other boy's back before placing them on his waist, his fingers resting on the spot where his shirt was tucked into his pants.

Giving Nick a couple more soft kisses, Jeff rested their foreheads together. He placed his spare hand on Nick's jaw, massaging his thumb gently on the boy's cheek.

Nick felt as though he could explode, the emotions running through his veins were so_ intense_. He clutched onto Jeff's waist tighter, all the while staring into his beautiful eyes.

When had he become so lucky?

* * *

**Ok, so this is how I imagine the scene with Nick and Jeff. **

**It's a little clip from Torchwood: www. youtube watch?v=ASEwZcqb6ow **

**That's pretty much how I see it, until the whole rip-in-time-and-space thing occurs anyway. So, if you'd like, check it out! Just remove the spaces .**

**Thanks for reading :) I'd love to know what you think!**


	20. Chapter 20

Nick looked straight into Jeff's eyes. "Mmm. That was...nice."

Jeff laughed softly. "It was nice, wasn't it?" He slid his arm around from behind Nick's back, bringing it to rest on his waist. Movement over Nick's shoulder caught his attention, and Jeff looked up to see they were alone on the floor, all the other couples standing to the side.

He smiled at Nick. "It seems we've drawn a bit of attention to ourselves."

Nick looked around, blushing and ducking his head when he realised how many sets of eyes were on them.

Jeff noticed the pointed looks they were getting and slid his hand down to Nick's, intertwining their fingers. "Come on." As they made their way back to the table, he noticed how silent the room was, with only the band still playing in the background.

They were greeted with the sight of Sebastian smirking at them, leaning back in his seat with his hands clasped behind his head. As they sat back in their seats at the table, Jeff kept his hand in Nick's as they gripped each other's fingers tightly.

Sebastian cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak.

"Don't!" Nick held up a hand at him. "Not a word from you, ok?"

His cousin just raised his eyebrows and held up his hands in front of him. Sam and Finn snickered.

"So...what was that you guys?" Sam spoke, and Nick raised his eyebrows at him. "What? You just told Sebastian not to talk; you didn't say anything about us."

Finn smirked. "I think you frightened all the other poor couples. Look, they're only just heading back out to dance now." As the others turned to look, he continued. "I don't think they would have seen anything that shocking in quite a while. It's probably the highlight of their trip."

Jeff turned around. There were still quite a few eyes on them, even after they'd retreated to their table. It probably had been shocking; such passionate public displays of affection were often frowned upon, even if the couples were of the opposite sex. He and Nick had probably just sent their heads spinning with their little performance. He smiled, thinking of how his mother would react if she had witnessed it.

Nick squeezed his hand. "What are you thinking about?"

"Only what my mother would say if she could see us." Jeff smirked. "She'd probably have a heart attack on the spot."

Nick laughed, looking around the room. "Hey," he whispered, "You want to get out of here?"

Jeff nodded, standing as he pulled Nick up by their joined hands. He turned to address the other three. "Alright, you guys, we'll see you later."

"And where do you think you're going? The party's only just beginning." Sebastian smiled knowingly at them.

Nick snorted. "Please, the main entertainment's over for the evening already." He shook his head. "We're just going to get some fresh air or something; we'll see you back at the cabin later."

He and Jeff headed towards the door, hand in hand, many glances still upon them as they moved out of the room. The man who greeted them only met their eyes for a second this time around, giving them a small, awkward smile. They passed through the corridors, eventually stepping out into the harsh night wind. As he felt Jeff shiver, Nick wrapped his arm around his waist, drawing them closer to each other. They stopped in a dark corner of the deck, looking out over the black ocean.

"Oh gosh, we should have grabbed some jackets before coming up here; it's freezing." Jeff looked down at his clothes – a simple pair of black trousers and a long-sleeved, white button-down shirt. Nick was dressed almost the same, with the addition of the bowtie.

They gazed out over the dark sea in silence for a few minutes before Nick decided to stop beating around the bush.

He turned to Jeff, his pulse starting to quicken. "So, what does this" he gestured between them "mean for us? What happens now?"

Jeff was silent for a moment before taking in a deep breath. "I'm not really sure what comes next, Nick." He blushed, clearly noticeable in the dim light. "I think it's fairly obvious by now how I feel about you, and I'm hoping you feel the same way, if what happened in there was any indication."

The brown haired boy nodded. "Jeff...you make me feel things I've never felt before, in my entire life. It's strange; it's like when I see you I feel happier, more complete somehow. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does." Jeff nodded, his eyes full of unshed tears. "I feel exactly the same way."

Nick looked at Jeff closely. He could see the emotion in his eyes, behind the unfallen tears. He knew Jeff was telling the truth, and that thought sent a wave of passion through him. Although neither of them were yet eighteen years old, Nick knew that _this_ was love. It wasn't some small liking, or even his teenage hormones looking for some attention. This was love, in the purest form.

Nick placed his hand in one of Jeff's and turned to face him. "Jeff?"

The blond smiled at him. "Yeah?"

His heart beat faster in his chest as he looked straight into Jeff's eyes. "I love you."

As a smile started to break out on the other's face, Nick continued talking. "I mean, I know we've only known each other for just a few days, but I've come to know you so well, and we've slept in the same bed and stuff, and..." He stopped, noticing the look on Jeff's face. "What?"

Jeff grinned. "Nick, stop talking." He stepped closer to him. "I love you too."

As he said the words, Jeff felt such relief course through him. It was an amazing feeling to be able to not only think them, but to say them too.

And the look on Nick's face...nothing would ever be able to match it. His eyes sparkled in the dim light of the deck, his cheeks flushed from the cold. In the cool air, he could see each breath that came out of his mouth. His brown hair was falling softly into his eyes. He was beautiful.

Jeff placed his hand on the side of Nick's neck, pulling them together as he kissed him. Nick's arms wrapped around Jeff's middle, pressing their warm torsos together in the cold night.

There could have been anyone watching them, but neither of them cared. They'd finally found each other, and nothing was going to stop them from being together.

Nick would never get used to the feeling of kissing Jeff. The warmth of his lips over his was indescribable. As they stood there in the cold sea breeze, he had a thought. He broke off the kiss, leaving his lips less than a centimetre from Jeff's.

His voice was low, barely above a whisper. "Jeff...will you be my boyfriend?"

The blond smiled against Nick's face. "Only if you'll be mine."

"Deal." Nick chuckled, rubbing his nose against Jeff's in an effort to warm it.

Jeff nodded. "Good. Now how about we take this somewhere warmer?"

Placing his lips upon Nick's once again, he inhaled deeply through his nose, not once removing himself from the other boy. He placed his left hand on the spot where Nick's neck met his shoulder, and his right slid from his waist around his lower back, effectively holding him in place.

Nick pulled back slightly, smiling against him. "Come on, let's go inside. Too cold out here."

Kissing Nick once more, Jeff grabbed his hand and began to lead him off the deck. They walked through the empty corridors back to steerage, holding hands the entire way, occasionally looking over at each other and smiling. When they reached the door of their cabin, Jeff paused, looking at Nick with a smile on his face.

"What?" Nick whispered at him.

"Come here." Jeff put one of his hands on Nick's waist as he pulled his head towards him with the other, kissing him. The brown haired boy responded by placing his own arms around Jeff's waist, laughing as he kissed him back.

Still joined together, Jeff opened the door to the cabin and pushed them into the dark room, closing it behind them. He pressed Nick's back lightly against the door, holding his own body against the slim boy.

Nick pulled back, puffing slightly. "Hang on, I want to try something."

Jeff nodded in the darkness as Nick jumped slightly, wrapping his legs around him and leaning down to kiss him. "There. Much better."

The tall blond laughed softly, placing his hands under the back of Nick's legs to keep him up before leaning up to kiss him again.

A snort of laughter came out of the darkness. "Ok, enough! I can't lie here and listen to this any longer. Some of us are _trying_ to sleep."

Nick and Jeff broke apart at the sound, shocked, as two distinct laughs sounded from the opposite side of the room.

"What...?" Jeff was confused. "What are you all doing here? You're supposed to be at the party still!"

Sebastian laughed.

"We only left not even half an hour ago!" Nick spoke up, heat flooding to his cheeks.

"Eh, that party blowed. We kept waiting for all the single ladies to show up, but they never did. We decided we'd be better off getting some sleep." He snorted again. "Not that we've been able to get any of that."

Sam and Finn laughed.

There was a moment's silence as the two boys stood there, shocked.

"Nicky, aren't you going to get down from there? I'm not sure how long Jeff can hold you up for." Sebastian snickered.

Nick looked around, confused. "What? The room's pitch black! You can't even see me."

"Oh, little cousin. You might not be able to see anything, but we can. The light from the corridor's coming in through the cracks in the door, which you are so conveniently up against. Your little silhouettes? Clear as day."

Nick groaned, his face hot with embarrassment as he slowly slid down from his position, Jeff's hand coming to rest on his back. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Imagine if I hadn't have said anything. At least you've still got your clothes on this way."

"Sebastian!"

Jeff wrapped his arms around Nick's waist, placing a small kiss on his lips. "Come on, let's go to bed."

Sam laughed from his bed. "Oh man, this is _priceless_!"

Nick groaned again as he and Jeff slid into their bed, kicking off their shoes. He was hoping this was just a dream, or else he'd never live it down. But then again, the feeling of being wrapped around Jeff...it was all worth it.

As the laughter died down in the room around them, Nick wrapped his arms around Jeff from behind, their bodies fitting together perfectly.

He placed a kiss on the side of Jeff's face. "I love you."

The blond turned his head to the side, capturing Nick's lips with his.

"I love you too."


	21. Chapter 21

When Nick opened his eyes on Sunday morning, Jeff's sleeping face was right in front of him. He yawned and stretched, careful not to move his leg which the other boy's was slung over. He considered getting up, but Jeff's arm was protectively placed over his waist, and there was no way he was in any hurry to get out of that.

Nick wondered if he would wake up and it would all have been a dream. The _Titanic_, meeting Jeff – it all seemed too good to be true. If it _was_ a dream it was the longest and most surreal of his life and he would be able to write a book about it it was so vivid.

But looking at the beautiful person in front of him, Nick couldn't help but reject the idea that it was all just a dream. Every single thing about Jeff was so _real_, and he knew he'd never be able to feel such strong emotion in a dream.

He looked at Jeff. He really was a beautiful boy. The way his long eyelashes brushed against his cheeks, the way his blonde hair fell softly into his eyes as he slept. His pale skin was flawless and evenly toned. Maybe it was _Jeff_ that was the dream. He really seemed too perfect for Nick to even comprehend.

Nick smiled. He didn't know what he'd done to reap such a reward. He would never deserve to have such an amazing, beautiful boyfriend.

_Boyfriend_.

The word sent a shiver down his spine and brought a genuine smile to his face. He loved the feeling of saying the word, but it seemed deeper than that for him and Jeff. It was as if they'd skipped the boyfriend thing. Their relationship was so intense that a label like that didn't even seem to begin to cover their feelings for each other. They were courting; although if Nick was honest with himself he wasn't sure if that term still applied for two males.

But he didn't care what they called it. It could be any word in the world and it still wouldn't be enough to show anyone the depth of his feelings for Jeff's, and hopefully Jeff's feelings for him. While most people would turn up their noses at their relationship, Nick didn't care. He didn't care what opinions anyone else may have – he loved Jeff and nothing was going to change that. Though he had only known Jeff for going on four days now, Nick knew he would never again feel for anyone else what he felt for Jeff.

He'd never thought he could find someone who made him feel so complete; so perfectly whole. But he had.

He found Jeff.

And Jeff had found him.

Nick smiled lightly. He raised his eyes and found a pair of deep brown ones looking back at him, watching him intently.

"What are you thinking about so hard?" Jeff's voice was soft as he whispered to him.

"You."

He looked at him for a moment before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on Nick's lips.

Nick smiled against him. "Mmm. Good morning to you too."

Laughing softly, Jeff reached up his hand, brushing the hair out of Nick's eyes before resting his palm on his cheek. "Did you sleep well?"

"Perfectly. You?"

"Same. All thanks to you."

Nick laughed. "Glad I could help with that."

They were silent for a moment.

"You know," Jeff began, looking at him thoughtfully, "this may be the third morning we've woken up together, but it's the first morning we've woken up together as a _couple_." He grinned.

"Oh, so last night actually happened?" Nick smiled at him. "I was beginning to think I'd made the whole thing up, and you were nothing but a figment of my imagination."

Jeff put a wounded look on his face. "Ouch. Nothing but a figment of your imagination? I'm hurt, Nick."

Nick smiled. "Hey, it's not such a bad place to be."

"I'll bet." Jeff snorted as he glanced at the bunk next to them. "How come we're always the first ones awake?"

"I don't know. I've always been an early riser – actually, so has Sebastian. It's a wonder he's still asleep." Nick shrugged. "As for Finn and Sam, I can't really say."

"Well I think mornings are the best part of the day, so I'm always awake before the sun rises. It's so beautiful and serene. If I can't enjoy anything else in my life then I can at least enjoy the dawn."

Nick smiled at him, wrapping his arm tighter around Jeff's waist and pulling him closer.

He knew that Jeff hated the life he was in, and Nick hoped that he could find a way out. This life, it was killing the beautiful, kind person Jeff was, leaving behind an empty shell. Nick could see it even though he hadn't known him for long.

Jeff settled into Nick's embrace, their bodies moulding together. As much as he knew he loved Nick, he was unsure of what would happen when _Titanic_ docked in New York. It was clear they were both avoiding the topic, trying to best enjoy their time together.

Jeff sighed softly. At his confrontation with Brittany the day before, he'd plainly told her he was leaving, and basically said he was never going back. He remembered the elation he'd felt as he left his family's cabin, but he wasn't sure still. He wanted nothing more than to go with Nick, but Brittany was right. It was nearly _impossible_ to escape their lifestyle. He was the only son of his parents, and was set to take over a banking empire. If he did leave, there would be no one to take his place, and all his father's lifelong work would be for nothing. Sure, it would be sold to someone else, for an extremely large sum of money, but the family name his father had established would be forgotten.

Jeff closed his eyes. He didn't care about names, or money. But as much as he disliked his father sometimes, he knew he was a hard working man and that his family was where they were today because of it all.

Did he want to leave that all behind for a better life? Of course he did.

Did he want to leave it all behind for _Nick_?

Looking into Nick's deep brown eyes, Jeff knew the answer without a moment's hesitation. Yes. He would do it without a second thought. But would Nick have _him_?

The love he felt for the boy in front of him was almost overwhelming, and he could no longer imagine a life without him in it. Jeff knew what he wanted, and that was Nick. _All_ he wanted was Nick.

He thought back to the first couple of days after he'd met him. Nick had casually told Jeff he was welcome to join him and Sebastian if he wanted. But _everything_ was different now, and he could only hope he'd still have him.

It was time to find out.

Jeff placed a hand on Nick's arm, sliding it down to his wrist to hold his hand. He intertwined their fingers, resting their hands on their tangled legs. "Nick?"

The older boy smiled, whispering back at him. "Yeah?"

"Does your offer still stand?"

"What offer?"

Jeff drew in a breath. "For me to come with you."

Nick was shocked, silent for a moment before a grin broke out on his face. "Yes," he breathed. "Of _course_." He closed the distance between them, kissing Jeff lightly on the lips a couple of times.

The blond smiled against Nick's lips, wrapping his arms around his waist as the other climbed half on top of him. Nick untangled their legs, lying so his and Jeff's chests were pressed together.

He leaned his face down, his lips barely an inch from Jeff's as he looked into his eyes. "Nothing would make me happier."

"Good." Jeff smiled, leaning his head up to meet Nick's. As their lips met, he relaxed back into the mattress, Nick's weight a warm reassurance on his torso. They kissed slowly, their lips moving completely in sync, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.

Nick rubbed his hand up and down Jeff's side, bringing it to rest at his waist. Jeff moaned, pulling his lips away for a moment. "That feels amazing."

Nick smirked, trailing his hand lightly across Jeff's stomach, his fingertips ghosting the skin through the thin shirt.

"Stop," Jeff gasped. "That tickles!"

Nick laughed softly. "I'm sorry." He leaned down, kissing him again before pulling away. "Forgive me?"

"Alright." Jeff looked thoughtful. "But on one condition: you have to kiss me again."

"Hmm. Ok. But just this once."

Jeff grinned. "Sure, sure. I'm going to hold you to that."

Nick smiled back, knowing as well as Jeff did that he wouldn't stay true to his word. As he leaned down once again, Nick couldn't help but feel happier than he had in a while. He had been hoping Jeff would come with them – and he'd had a feeling he would – but he had to wait for Jeff to bring it up himself. It was _his _battle he needed to work through, and as much as Nick had wanted to, he knew Jeff had to make the decision all by himself.

Of course, Nick hadn't bothered to think about what would happen if Jeff had returned with his parents. It was unfathomable. If the blond felt as strongly about Nick as Nick felt about him, then it was just to be assumed he would come with him and Sebastian. Nick simply couldn't comprehend what would happen if Jeff had wanted to stay with his parents – in all probability, he likely would have gone after _Jeff_, parents regardless.

Nick smiled into Jeff's mouth, seemingly content with the thought of his future with him. He rubbed his hand up and down Jeff's side again, eliciting another small noise from him. Nick chuckled softly.

A sleepy voice came from above them. "Mmm, just what I want to wake up to in the morning. The sounds of my little cousin kissing a boy."

Nick pulled away from Jeff and grinned even though Sebastian couldn't see it. "Yeah? Well shut your ears then, cause it's happening whether you hear it or not."

Sebastian shuddered. "I had a dream I was drowning in saliva because there was so much slobbering going on."

"Eew Sebastian! That's gross, man." Sam yawned from the other bed. "Not what I need to hear this early in the morning."

"Hey!" Jeff protested, earning a little smile from Nick. "We don't _slobber_ on each other."

"Relax, Blondie. We're just playing with you." Sebastian thought for a moment, a smirk on his face. "Although I could have done without hearing all that moaning."

"Sebastian!"

Jeff wrapped his arm around Nick as Sebastian and Sam laughed. Clearly their time to themselves was over for the morning. He looked to Nick, who was obviously thinking the same thing. He lowered his voice. "Don't worry, there's always tomorrow morning."

Sebastian snorted. "Please. Don't let me stop you from going at it. Hasn't worried you until now."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Just how long have you been awake?"

"Well...let's just say you're _not_ always the first ones awake."

Sam laughed. "Oh yeah, that was a good one. And we found out Jeff was ticklish."

There was a pause before Nick raised an eyebrow. "And you're an early riser too I suppose, Samuel?"

The other boy nodded, smiling happily as he perched his hands behind his head. "Yup."

"What about Finn?"

"Dead to the world." Sam laughed again. "He could sleep through a cyclone without even stirring."

As he began recounting a tale of Finn's deep sleeping, Nick sighed softly, smiling at Jeff. Supporting his weight on his elbow, he leaned down to kiss him for several seconds before pulling away and smiling at Jeff's pout. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, swatting at his boyfriend's hands as they tried to pull him back down next to him.

Jeff, laughing, wrapped his arms around Nick's waist as he tried to stand, effectively causing Nick to topple to the floor before falling out of the bed and landing on top of him.

Nick groaned. "Smooth, Sterling. Real smooth."

The blond just grinned, taking advantage of the fact that he had control as he leaned down and kissed Nick's nose.

The older boy laughed, squirming underneath him as he tried to get free, clutching at Jeff's white shirt.

"Oh, Sam, look at that." Sebastian's voice sounded from above them. "Nick and Jeff are all over each other again. We get to see a repeat of last night."

Nick rolled his eyes, pushing Jeff off him with a thump and standing before offering a hand to the blond, who grasped it firmly.

Sam snorted, taking in the scene before him. "If you two weren't so sickeningly _cute_ about it, I might be a bit grossed out at all the love in the room."

Jeff blushed slightly, looking at Nick with tender eyes. Nick smiled back, squeezing his hand comfortingly as he moved towards his bag and changed the subject. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but we're hungry, so I think we might just head to breakfast now."

"Ah Nicky," Sebastian shook his head, "You ruin all our fun."


	22. Chapter 22

Nick pulled Jeff out of the room by the hand, ignoring Sebastian and Sam's loud protests to wait for them as they headed for the Dining Room. They walked down the corridor; Nick smirking and Jeff laughing as the voices faded out, becoming nothing but background noise.

Jeff looked sideways at Nick, nudging him with his shoulder. "You're mean."

"I know." He swung their joined hands between them, smiling at his boyfriend as they walked.

They noticed the eyes of several people on them as they strolled into the Dining Room. Many did not bother to hide their widened eyes as they stared at the boy's joined hands - a public statement of the connection of the two - and the way their sides brushed lightly together as they stood close.

Both Jeff and Nick were aware of the number of gazes they held, and were surprised at how less harsh they were than the ones they'd received in Second Class the previous night. Instead of the piercing looks, they were softer. Nick knew very well that people like him took far longer to judge others than people of higher status. In the lower classes, nobody took advantage of anything they had, and if that included love then so be it. If you were lucky enough to have something – or someone – then you were foolish if you were to let it go.

Jeff was surprised at the softness of the looks, acknowledging the stark difference even to the ones they received in Second Class. A tired looking, middle aged lady surrounded by children smiled at him when they made eye contact, and Jeff smiled back, the edges of his eyes crinkling at the genuine gesture.

Nick led Jeff towards the breakfast choices, coming to a stop in front of the bench and surveying their options.

He turned to Jeff. "So, what'll it be this morning, sir? Can I tempt you with some oatmeal porridge? Some jacketed potatoes, perhaps?" He gestured to each as he spoke. "How about some fruit? Picked fresh from the orchard no less than four days ago."

Jeff laughed at his antics, putting a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm...I think I'll go with the jacket potatoes."

Nick nodded once, looking at him. "An excellent choice, sir. I think I'll have the fruit today."

There was a comfortable silence for a moment as they both collected their meals.

"So what do you plan on doing this morning?" Jeff asked Nick as they headed towards an empty table, plates in hand. "We've got the whole day to ourselves now. We've got the rest of the _trip_ to ourselves now." Nick smiled at him as he continued, his eyes shining at the thought. "Finally, a day of no drama, no suits and bowties – "

Nick spoke up. "No First Class dinners,"

"No overbearing mothers,"

"No fiancée who pretends she's pregnant."

Jeff laughed, looking at Nick and raising his eyebrows as he placed his plate down on the wooden table. "Good one."

Nick smiled as he sat, a stray apple rolling off his plate and over to Jeff. The blond picked it up, tossing it in his hand for several moments before handing it back to Nick, who accepted it graciously and took a big bite, smiling at Jeff as he did so.

Jeff smiled back for a moment before clearing his throat, looking down briefly and then back up. "Listen, Nick. I have no idea what I'm doing."

Nick smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at Jeff. He reached his hand on top of the table, placing it upon Jeff's. "Hey, you think I do?" He laughed, leaning a little closer to Jeff over the small table.

Jeff's eyes were worried. "But I've never even been in a real relationship." He glanced down. "The only experience I've had is with Brittany, and look where that got me. That was pretty much an arranged marriage."

Nick laughed. "Surely you've dated other girls, Jeff."

He shook his head. "Nope."

"...Boys?"

Jeff's cheeks turned slightly red. "Nope."

Nick smirked. "Ah, well, guess I lucked out then, didn't I?"

"Hey!" Jeff leaned in. "What about you then?"

Nick shook his head as he tightened his grip on Jeff's hand. "Only you."

The blond rolled his eyes. "Well I find that hard to believe." He looked at Nick for a moment before smiling at him. "Why is that?"

Nick shrugged, looking at their joined hands. "I'm not sure, really. I've just always had trouble letting people in. I don't let anyone get too close to me." Jeff raised his eyebrows. "Of course, with you I make an exception."

Jeff bowed his head. "I feel most honoured, sir." They smiled at each other for a moment, Nick's thumb rubbing Jeff's hand gently.

"Well, if it isn't Snugglepot and Cuddlepie."

The two boys' heads snapped up, and were surprised to find a dark-haired girl leaning casually against the edge of the table.

Jeff glanced at Nick before looking back at the girl with a blank look on his face. "Uh..."

The girl smirked; clearly enjoying the uncomfortable look on his face at her presence.

Nick just had one eyebrow raised as he chewed on a mouthful of apple, curious to find out who the newcomer was. He swallowed. "You know, I'm pretty sure Snugglepot and Cuddlepie were _girls_."

The girl shrugged, folding her arms across her chest indifferently. "Eh, doesn't matter all that much to me."

Nick raised both his eyebrows and looked at her for a moment before glancing at Jeff.

The blond was confused. "What's _Snugglepot and Cuddlepie_?"

The girl looked at him for a moment with as though he was slow. "_Please_. Didn't you have a childhood?"

Jeff considered this. "Not really."

She shook her head, turning to face Nick and leaving Jeff without an answer.

Crossing her arms across her chest, she smiled at them smugly. "I bet you're both wondering who I am, right? Well. Santana Lopez at your service." She leant forward and placed her hands on the table, leaning in and narrowing here eyes at the two of them. "Now, I'm the woman round here, so what I say goes, got that? I won't take any of this 'Girl-shut-your-mouth-and-have-my-children' garbage that goes on. I've got two arms, two legs and a brain just the same as you do, so don't treat me as if I'm any different. I'm breaking free, alright? Also, if you got something to say about me, say it to my face. This girl's tough. She can take it." She straightened up, recrossing her arms and flicking her dark hair back over her shoulder.

As the newcomer spoke, Jeff's eyebrows relocated and found a new home in his hairline. His slack jaw was sitting firmly in his lap.

He was shocked, to say the least.

"Close your mouth, rich boy. The flies will get in."

All he could do was shake his head slightly, his mouth still gaping open.

Never in his life had Jeff heard a young woman speak so freely, in such an extravagant manner. To him, this language was _unheard_ of. The young women he had been brought up around were taught manners and etiquette as soon as they could talk and walk, perhaps even before. There was never a stray word to come out of their mouths, and they rarely spoke out of turn. This...this _language_ that he had just heard come from their newfound 'friend' was without a doubt the most shocking thing he had ever seen come from a lady.

It was...strangely refreshing.

Nick looked across at Jeff as the blond sat in stunned silence, a chuckle forming within him. He could almost see the gears turning in his head as he tried to work out just _what_ he had witnessed. Nick knew that his boyfriend would have never heard anything like it before; it was even fairly rare in the lower classes to hear something so outright. But, every now and then, a Santana would pop up here or there and refuse to be silenced and forced to the background.

Nick had never been one to believe women were inferior to men, even though that is how they had been depicted in society for many generations. While he was a typical, lower-class boy, he was by no means uneducated. He had read several times the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft, an author so often mocked and belittled in society by those of higher ranks and, in particular, men. He was a firm believer in the power of words, and found the ideas presented by such authors were often sound, and women only appeared inferior to the male gender because they were denied even the most basic of educations.

So he was often almost _proud_ when a young woman like Santana appeared – someone who was willing to stand up for themselves regardless of the way they would be treated by society because of it.

Nick looked away from Jeff – who was still trying to wrap his head around the speech – and looked up at Santana, who was looking at them both closely, a smirk planted on her face.

"How do you even know who we are?" Nick took another bite of his apple as he spoke, breaking the brief silence.

"_Please_. Are you trying to insult my intelligence?" Santana looked offended. "You two are the talk of the ship. Well, mainly of third class. All I had to do was look for the dopey lovey-dovey faces and I knew I'd find you. I had to come and see what all of the fuss was about."

Nick nodded thoughtfully.

"I kind of admire the both of you, you know? Here we are, stuck aboard a ship, with some of the most influential and judgmental people in the world, and you two – two _males_ – are parading around holding hands and smiling at each other like there's no tomorrow." She shrugged. "It's nice to know that there are still people in the world who stand up for what they believe in."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "Likewise."

Santana smiled. "But don't let anyone know I said so, ok? I kind of like the reputation I've earned for myself. I will never again admit to admiring anyone of the male species."

Jeff chuckled, bringing himself out of his shocked reverie. "Well, thank you, I guess. It's nice to know there are people like you in the world who don't judge others by what they wear, or who they love." He smiled at her. "It's good."

She smiled back briefly before a fleeting look made its way onto her face. "Right. Well, I've got to scram before this starts getting all mushy and sentimental. The only tears you will ever see me cry will be tears of pain. I'm hard-hearted, and I'd kind of like to keep it that way."

Nick smiled. Underneath the hard exterior, she was obviously not-so-hard-hearted.

"Alright, well, see you round boys." She smirked at them and threw them a wink over her shoulder as she turned and walked away. The two boys watched her go, in awe and slightly intimidated by her bold personality.

Jeff turned to look at Nick as he picked up his fork to begin his breakfast. "I think we just found the female version of Sebastian."

* * *

**Sorry for the wait, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

**Also, the first book in the Snugglepot and Cuddlepie series wasn't published until 1918, but for the sake of the story lets pretend it was a few years earlier.**

**Thanks for reading! **


	23. Chapter 23

Lydia Sterling slipped into her son's room, sighing softly and closing the door behind her.

She looked around. The room was spotless, not a thing out of place. This was just as she'd raised Jeff to be: a clean, presentable young man.

She'd always praised herself on the way she'd brought him up, teaching him the values of integrity, respect and discipline. Others had often commented on his flawless behaviour, and she could appreciate the fact that she was viewed both by herself and other high class civilians as a woman capable of holding such a prestigious image in society because of it.

She was a strong woman who had what it took to raise a strong household.

But now, glancing around the room at her son's possessions, she couldn't help but wonder what went wrong.

She was both shocked and appalled by the behaviour coming from him since boarding the _Titanic_; having never seen him act in such a way. Clearly something had made him rebel, and she had a fair idea what – or who – it was.

She sat down on the wrinkle-free bed, knowing very well it had only been slept in once since they'd boarded. Tucking one ankle delicately behind the other, she felt her heel rest against something. She reached down and pulled it out, uncovering an old pair of trousers and a shirt.

Her eyes narrowed. She knew for a fact that these stained clothes did not belong to her son, and that left just one other possible person.

_Nicholas._

The poor, freelance, Third Class boy her son had apparently become very well acquainted with. She knew that he was the reason for the change in Jeff's behaviour, but she didn't know how. What had this boy done to him in just a few short hours that would account for the radical change in her son?

For Lydia, the biggest shock of all had been when Jeff had told them he was in _love_ with the boy.

Although she had only met Nicholas the one time, she could see it. Jeff _was_ in love with him, it was written as clear as day in his eyes. The way he'd been laughing when she and Brittany had stood watching from the door was unlike anything she'd ever heard from him. He'd sounded...light, carefree. And Nicholas, it seemed, must have felt the same about him.

It wasn't acceptable. She could _not_ let it happen. Jeff was soon to be married to Brittany, and would then inherit the family business. Although she had to agree that the blonde girl had as much personality as a cardboard box, the marriage had to happen, whether Jeff liked it or not. Brittany's parents were highly influential and the wedding was bound to be one of the largest highlights of the year.

And then there was Sterling Banks. The reason they were all here. Jeff was the sole heir of the business; his importance was unparalleled. After Jeff was born, she and her husband had tried for years and years to have more children, but to no avail, meaning that Jeff was the only heir. Such a thing was uncommon, as wealthy businessmen would often have at least two children, perhaps even three or more, to ensure the stability of their company or trade. But as they had been unable to have more children, it was Jeff's sole responsibility when the time came.

Which is why she could not let Jeff feel that way about the other boy.

Lydia sighed, folding her hands in her lap. She had been in her son's position once. At just sixteen, she had fallen so deeply in love with a boy she was sure they'd never be apart. They'd planned their life together; how many children they would have, whether they would have a dog. He was her first love, and she could still remember vividly the curves of his face and the soft touch of his hand as he held hers. But things didn't always go according to plan. Because of her family's prestigious societal image, she had been paired to marry another man. And although she hadn't liked it that was the way things were. When she was engaged to John she had hated him; loathed him for taking away her future. But, in time, she had come to love her husband more than anyone else. She just had to make Jeff see that life wasn't always about happiness or love. Sometimes it was just about doing the right thing by yourself and everyone around you.

And now, with Brittany pregnant, Jeffery couldn't leave no matter how much he wanted to. The pregnancy in itself was scandal enough without him running off. That would surely make things infinitely worse. And the most shocking thing was the way the blonde girl had announced it at dinner, in front of just about _everyone_. Although Lydia realised she wasn't the brightest girl she'd ever met, she never would have thought her to be so bold about it, especially considering her parent's image.

She wondered how the Pierce's would take the news when they rejoined them in America. Brittany didn't seem the least bit concerned, but perhaps she should. The Pierce's had been family friends for years and years; their children had grown up together. With this friendship came the knowledge of the fact that the Pierce's were as strict about maintaining a healthy public image as the Sterling's were, if not more. Lydia highly doubted that the blonde girl's parents would be as calm and collected about the news as their daughter was.

And then there was the matter of Brittany herself. She would have no doubt been aware of the negative spotlight she was placing upon the Sterling's at her announcement. It was not only her own family name she was highlighting, but theirs as well.

Lydia stood, throwing the stained clothes down in a heap on the bed. Brushing the invisible wrinkles from the front of her gown, she straightened, narrowing her eyes. All they could do now was wait, and hope that Jeffery would make the right decision by all of them.

* * *

**This is a bit of a shorter chapter, mainly to just give insight into what's happening with Jeff's parents. There's still more to come from them... :)**

**Also, at this point in the story it is Sunday morning, the 14th of April 1912. **

**Thanks for reading, I'd love to know what you thought!**

**:)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Sorry for the wait! All I can say is that hopefully it won't happen again. **

**Thank you to everyone who reads, reviews, favourites and alerts!**

**I hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

"Nicky! There you are."

The two boys turned their heads to see Sebastian striding towards them across the crowded dining room floor. In one hand he balanced his breakfast plate, piled high with an assortment of potato, fruit and stale bread. Sam and Finn were not far behind, also carrying their breakfast as they struggled through the crowd. Nick watched their arrival in silence, already mourning the peace he had been enjoying with Jeff in the several minutes since their interesting encounter with Santana.

A plate dropped noisily down onto the table beside him as Sebastian slid his tall frame into the seat, immediately beginning to inhale his food. "So boys," he said, shreds of potato flying freely, "what's up?"

Jeff watched silently as Sam settled down into the seat next to him and Finn perched himself at the end of the table before speaking up. "Well, in the approximate seven minutes since we last saw you, we happened to meet a very..." he looked to Nick for help, who just smiled at him,"...opinionated young lady."

Sebastian grinned. "Santana?" At the two boys' nods, he continued. "Yeah, she's a feisty little thing isn't she?"

"You know her?" Nick laughed, shaking his head. "Of course you do."

Sebastian looked up briefly. "I like to think I know a majority of the people on this part of the boat. The ones worth knowing anyway." He paused and looked around the table, jiggling his eyebrows. "Especially the lovely young ladies."

Sam laughed loudly, putting his chewed breakfast on display for all to see. "Nice to know that you like people because of their personalities," he added sarcastically.

Sebastian just smiled.

"So how did you meet Santana anyway?" Jeff looked up at Sebastian.

The tall boy swallowed visibly, forcing the huge lump of food down his throat. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, collecting the stray food particles that had accumulated there. "Well, funny story really. It was the other night, up on the deck. We ran into each other. Literally."

Nick looked across at Jeff and then back to Sebastian. "Righhtt. Not that funny."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Would you let me finish?"

Nick held his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry. Please go on."

"_Anyway_," he said, placing emphasis on the word while shooting Nick a look, "so we ran into each other. Knocked the both of us flat to the deck. And me, being the gentleman that I am –"

Nick rolled his eyes.

"– immediately tried to help her to her feet. But she shook my hand off her arm and stood up, and then she took one look at me and said 'Boy, you look like you just stepped straight out of the 1800's. Hasn't anybody told you that you ain't supposed to cut your hair like that anymore?'"

Jeff raised his eyebrows.

"Naturally," Sebastian swallowed another mouthful of food, "I was shocked. I think I was just standing there gaping like a fool."

Sam laughed. "I actually think that's the first time I've ever seen him speechless. And by a _girl_, of all people."

Nick chuckled.

"But that's not all", Sebastian continued. "Then she pointed her finger at me and told me never to touch her unless I was told to, and that that wouldn't be happening in this lifetime."

"She may very well be your perfect match, Sebastian." Finn raised his eyebrows at him.

He shook his head slightly and glanced down at his lap, suddenly becoming serious. "I don't think so."

"Why? She too much to handle, you think?"

Sebastian's jaw went slack, the glint in his eye returning. "I resent that comment."

"Why?" Jeff cocked his head questioningly.

"Nothing and nobody is too much for Sebastian Smythe to handle."

Nick watched his cousin quietly. He had known Sebastian long enough to be able to tell when he cared for someone. Despite his confident appearance, Nick could see behind the cocky smile and the endless joking.

"Ah, I get it." Sam looked up. "You like her, don't you Seb?"

"Of course I do. She's a great girl."

The blond shook his head impatiently. "No, no. You _like_ her?"

Sebastian looked down, his breakfast forgotten at this moment.

Sam looked around curiously at the others at the table before nudging his friend in the arm. "So what if you do? Go for it, Seb."

There was a slight pause before he spoke again, his voice quiet. "I can't."

"Well why not?"

"...It's too soon."

Finn burst out laughing, looking between Nick and Jeff. "Hey, Sebastian, have you met Nick and Jeff?"

Nick rolled his eyes and smiled at Jeff.

Sebastian shook his head, ignoring Finn's comment. "No seriously, I can't."

Jeff frowned. "Why not? Are you afraid you'll hurt her or something? Because I've only just met her, but I think she seems strong enough to take on anything."

Sebastian chuckled, shaking his head and looking down once again. "No, that's not it. She'll never let anyone close enough to hurt her."

Sam's forehead crinkled. "Then what is it?"

"I'm not...I'm just not good enough for her."

There was a lengthy pause at the table as Sebastian continued to stare at his lap and the others stared at each other in shock.

Then Finn laughed.

Loud.

Sebastian's head jerked up, his eyes narrowed. "What?"

Finn placed a hand over his face, his body still shuddering with laughter. "I'm sorry, Sebastian. But that's just stupid."

He looked around at his four friends, one of whom was beginning to look downright angry and the other three who had wary looks on their faces.

Finn waved his hand dismissively. "No, no. You're misinterpreting what I'm trying to say. It's not stupid that you care for Santana, that's not what I'm saying."

Sebastian relaxed visibly in his seat.

Finn looked across at him. "Seb, it is impossible that anyone could be too good for you. You are by far one of the best guys I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Even though it's only been a few short days, I know that in my whole life I will probably never meet another man like you. You're a very genuine and down to earth person, and I already consider you one of my dearest friends.

"So don't you dare say that you're not good enough for someone. If anything, you're the one that is too good for this sinking world."

Sebastian looked at his friend, his eyes shining with tears he would never allow to fall. Once again, Finn had taken him by surprise. He had clearly underestimated him. Finn's words meant more to Sebastian than anyone would ever know. His whole life, he had faced insults and snide remarks from those of a higher status than him, as had many of the English lower class. As a growing boy, every comment stung. Every sneer, every raised eyebrow, each turning up of the nose. They ebbed away slowly at his mind until he actually started to believe them when they'd say there was no place for him in such a modernised, wealthy society. When they'd told him he was too dumb to get anywhere in life, he eventually believed it himself.

He could clearly remember the day he stopped believing he was worthless. His mother had noticed the definite change in her son over the years. His once lively eyes were weary well beyond his years. She missed the sparkle in his eyes when he smiled, the glint in his eyes when he laughed. She took him aside one day and asked him what was bothering him.

Sebastian had looked at her, his brown eyes sad. "Nothing, Mama."

She'd sighed softly, pulling her boy down gently onto the seat beside her. "Listen to me, son. Look around you. You have a family who loves you and cares for you. Can't you see how blessed you are?"

He'd looked up at her. "But Mama, we've got no money."

"Sebastian," she shook her head, a soft smile on her face, "some people are so poor all they have is money."

He could so vividly remember the one phrase that had changed his life as he knew it. A few simple words that, placed together in the correct order, made him reconsider his entire existence.

"Never doubt who you are, my son. Don't count your blessings by how many possessions you own, or how much you are paid each week. Count your blessings by the smiles and the love and the laughter and you will find that you are wealthier than any rich man will ever be."

He could remember the way his mother had smiled fondly at him, standing and placing her hand gently upon his cheek as she looked down at him. "Never forget who you are, Sebastian."

He could remember the simple way in which she'd turned and walked away, returning to the kitchen to continue preparing the lunch.

He could not remember many things about his mother, but that moment was the one that would stay in his heart forever. The memory was so vivid from replaying it over and over in his head it was as if it happened yesterday. His mother had never been a wealthy woman herself, but she was the happiest, most loving woman he ever knew. She had changed his life for the better.

Sebastian looked to Finn again, his eyes shining, his heart light. "Thank you, my friend."

Finn nodded, reaching over and clapping his hand on his friend's shoulder.

Nick smiled at the scene, knowing the thoughts his cousin would be having at Finn's words.

He glanced over at Jeff, who was also watching fondly, and stretched his hand out on the tabletop.

As Jeff linked their fingers together, Nick mouthed three silent words at him.

_I love you_.

Jeff wriggled his eyebrows suggestively, causing Nick to shake his head hopelessly at his beautiful boyfriend.

_I love you more_.


	25. Chapter 25

**A very special thank you goes to Melbi, who faithfully reviews every single chapter. I love you :D**

**Thank you also to those who alert and favourite this story. It means a lot to me!**

**Please enjoy :)**

* * *

The strong breeze waltzed along the deck, creating invisible lines and contours in the air with each surge. It rippled and curled its way through a petite woman's hair, the brown waves glimmering a brilliant gold in the gentle sunlight. It travelled its way up a young child's body, challenging the worn sleeves and well loved trouser legs before pushing its way up and around the youthful face.

It continued its way hastily along the new deck, travelling above the almost pristine pine boards and dodging its way around walls, around corners towards a smattering of young children gleefully playing with a ball, the toy drifting ever so slightly with the force of the breeze as it bounced and moved through the air. The sound of carefree laughter waxed and waned in the path of the gust.

Further down the deck, five young men pushed their way through a door, bursting into the open with smiles on their faces and laughter on their lips. The tall, lean one roughly scuffled the immaculate hair of the blond one, who in turn pushed his hands against the other boy's chest in an effort to stop him as the three others looked on and chuckled between themselves. As he futilely tried to fix his hair, the blond one glanced up, his gaze wandering until he met the hard stare of an aging man much further along the wooden floor. The young man stilled, the laughter dying on his lips as he returned the stare evenly, appearing almost as a challenge to the watching man, saying _Here I am. Come and get me, I dare you._

The shorter brown haired boy, noticing the look on the blond's face, laid a hand on his arm silently, searching his face as he asked what was wrong. The gesture was tender, loving, and when no reply was received, the young man followed the gaze of the boy's who had stolen his heart, his eyes stilling upon the face of the angered man down the deck. His grip tightened ever so slightly on the blond's arm, and he moved a step closer, his chest coming into contact with the right side of the blond boy as they continued to both meet the gaze of the man. Without speaking, they had formed a united front, sending a message to the man that the blond boy was not alone.

The man realised this and narrowed his eyes. Staring for another long second, he ripped his eyes away, turned around and strode purposefully down the deck, his back eventually disappearing from sight.

The wind ripped wildly through the two boys' hair.

* * *

The sighting was no accident, Jeff knew that. He had seen the satisfaction on his father's face as they'd made eye contact, and that was when he knew that the man had come with an agenda. He wasn't standing on the deck enjoying the fresh sea breeze or soaking up the sun, he'd come with a purpose. Not so much as to scare Jeff, but more of a reminder that he was close by, that he was watching from the shadows. He wanted to make sure his son was on-edge and uncomfortable for the rest of the trip.

Well, it hadn't worked.

Sure, Jeff was surprised at first when he met his father's stare, but he had known that it would happen sometime. His father would first stay at a distance, watching and waiting, but would then gradually pop up here or there, a little bit closer each time.

That was how it was with business. His father would watch possible clients from a distance, commonly appearing in the same room, perhaps sometimes waving and saying hello in passing. This was his strategy. He was making an impression. Not necessarily a grand one, but a very subtle one, making sure he stayed in some corner of their minds. And one day, when he approached them, they would be surprised but not-so-surprised at the same time, of course eventually choosing such a company who they were familiar with.

Once a businessman, always a businessman.

Jeff was not a firm believer in the fact that a man could be a successful business man and a family man at the same time. His own father was living, breathing, walking, talking proof of that. As a child, Jeff was used to being treated like a worker or an employee, when all he wanted was to be treated like a son. He wanted his father to do things that he _knew_ other men did for their children, like read the classic fairytales to him before he went to sleep at night. He wanted a tender clap of approval on the shoulder as his father passed by. He wanted to pretend to be annoyed when his father ruffled his hand through his hair, laughing as he did so.

John Sterling may have been Jeff's father, but he would never be his dad.

A nudge to his side bought Jeff back to the present. He looked to his side, taking in the concerned look on Nick's face. "You ok?"

Jeff smiled at him. "Yeah, I'm ok."

Nick took Jeff's hand in his and led him over to a table on deck where Sebastian was already sitting, along with Finn and Sam. The three had their faces tipped back and their eyes closed, soaking the warm sun into their systems.

"Ah," Sam hummed in contentment as Nick and Jeff took a seat. "Vitamin D, how I've missed you so."

Sebastian snorted, clapping Sam on the shoulder.

"Hey!" Sam protested. "I'll have you know that you're not looking too tan yourself, mate." He looked his friend up and down. "In fact I think you're looking a bit pasty."

Sebastian's head snapped up and he began examining his exposed arms. "Hmm. I think you may be right." He sighed dramatically. "The ladies won't appreciate that too much."

Nick shook his head at his hopeless cousin. He looked to his left, shielding his eyes from the sun and caught Jeff's gaze. The blond smiled and laced their fingers together in his lap.

"So," Finn looked around at his brother and their friends, "What should we do now?"

"You know, this ship is entirely overrated." Sam shook his head. "The whole time we've been aboard I think we've been bored for about half of it."

"That's because we're not in first class," Nick bumped shoulders with Jeff. "You should see it down there. Extravagant feasts all day long – "

Jeff raised his eyebrows. "Tea with the Captain."

"Rooms that take up half a level."

"Enough china to form a new continent."

"Enough ego to populate that continent." Nick laughed, leaning into Jeff.

Finn and Sam laughed, and Sebastian smirked at them. "Sounds like fun." He leant back with a lazy grin on his face and looked at his cousin and Jeff. "You guys should totally wreak havoc in first class today."

Nick looked sceptical. Well, as sceptical as he could with a grin still on his face. He glanced across at Jeff, who looked thoughtful and interested. Sebastian noted Nick's dubious look and continued. "No, nothing drastic, Nicky. Just for a bit of laughs."

Nick raised an eyebrow, thinking about what his cousin was implying. "I don't know, Sebastian – "

"No," Jeff cut in. "We should."

Nick looked at him suspiciously. Jeff nodded. "We should. We need to show my parents that we're not afraid of them."

Nick leaned back. "Right. Well, I don't know about you, Jeff, but I'm _terrified_ of your parents."

Finn and Sam laughed.

Sebastian smirked at his cousin and his boyfriend, folding his arms across his chest to watch the scene unfold.

Jeff placed his hand on Nick's leg and turned in his seat to face him. "Think about it, Nicky. We have to show them that they don't scare us. That we aren't just not going to be together because they disapprove."

Nick smiled fondly at the ease in which the nickname slipped from Jeff's lips. He was looking straight at him, his eyes shining with the prospect of what they were perhaps about to do. Jeff was so sure that he wanted to spend his life with Nick. Nick couldn't even comprehend the amount of love he had for this blond boy.

He placed his hand over the one of Jeff's that was resting on his leg. He looked into his eyes for a long moment. He really knew there was no question about it; he would follow Jeff to the end of the world and back.

He nodded slowly. "Ok. Let's do it."

"Alright!" Sam swung a fist through the air, breaking the seriousness of the moment.

Jeff laughed. He leaned forward and kissed Nick softly, looking into his eyes. "Thank you."

Nick smiled at him. "Anything for you."

Jeff squeezed his hand for a moment and flashed him a smile. He stood up, pulling Nick's arm up with him and revealing their clasped hands to the others. "Right. We should get started then."

Nick rolled his eyes fondly before pushing himself up from his seat, properly entwining his fingers with Jeff's.

This was going to be an interesting day.

But he had no idea how much.


	26. Chapter 26

**Sorry again for the long wait! Please enjoy.**

* * *

"Are you sure this is ok?" Nick turned slightly, looking at his reflection in the small mirror of the cabin.

Jeff laughed, rolling his eyes fondly. "It's _fine_, Nick." He walked over and paced his hands on his waist. "You look better than any first class guy to me."

They were both dressed in simple black pants and a white button down shirt, courtesy of Jeff's now limited wardrobe. Having decided to show their presence on the upper floors, they realised that, although they didn't want to, they had better dress appropriately. While Jeff was still technically a first class passenger, if he failed to meet the standards he could be asked to leave, although that was highly unlikely due to the sheer influence of his family.

Not that his family would _want_ to negotiate if he _was _asked to leave.

"Hmm." Nick turned again. "Alright then. Are you sure I'm allowed up there though? I'm not actually a first class passenger, you know."

Jeff smiled. "Yes, but I am, and I'm allowed to have a guest." He put his hands on Nick's shoulders.  
"Now stop worrying."

"Ok," Nick sighed, "Let's do it then." He looked over at Jeff. "What are we actually doing anyway?"

The blond shrugged. "I don't know. There are some things that I definitely need to speak about with my family, about what happens next. Better to do it sooner rather than later." He looked across at Nick. "I can't imagine we'll have to worry about it for too long anyway, we'll be recognised reasonably fast, I imagine."

He was right. As soon as they stepped through the doors into the Dining Room, they could have heard a pin drop, it went so quiet. The silence was short-lived though, as the hushed whispers started up after several long moments.

There were only a few scattered groups of patrons around the large room, and for that Nick was thankful. If they really _were_ going to have this talk with Jeff's parents, and – he shuddered at the thought – _Brittany_, he wanted there to be as few witnesses to his murder as possible. He knew that he was probably overreacting, that it probably wouldn't end in that.

Hopefully.

But he knew that, whatever happened, it wasn't going to be pretty or pleasant. Having this confrontation on a _boat _in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean probably wasn't the best place to do it either.

Having walked through the doors, Jeff pulled Nick to the side of the room as the voices gradually began again.

"Now," he said, "we wait."

Jeff spotted his mother and Brittany across the room, standing amidst a sea of expensive frocks and locks of curled hair. It was obvious they were aware of his and Nick's presence, as their shoulders were tense and their faces were set in a frown, Brittany's slowly morphing to interest, perhaps at the prospect of the spectacle that may be about to occur.

"Oh gosh," Nick breathed out through his teeth and squeezed Jeff's hand quickly, obviously feeling quite nervous from the tension.

"It's alright, beautiful. This has to happen sooner or later. We know it does."

Nick's heart stuttered at the endearment that came from Jeff's lips. Jeff had obviously noticed as well, as his cheeks turned slightly red and he looked shyly at Nick. Nick decided not to make him further embarrassed by pointing it out.

"Yep." He nodded. "Doesn't make it any less scary though."

No one had ever called Nick beautiful before. Apart from his mother who, being a parent, had a moral obligation to do so. But nobody else had ever told him he was beautiful. He looked sideways at Jeff, his eyes shining with love and adoration for the blond boy. He nudged Jeff's shoulder gently with his own, and the slightly taller boy, obviously understanding the gesture, looked across and wrapped his arm around Nick's waist for a brief moment before pulling away and straightening.

"Here we go," he said, his eyes becoming harder, "it's time."

Nick looked across the room to see Jeff's mother and - most likely - ex-fiancé crossing the room towards them. The woman had her public face on, but even Nick could see the fire burning in her eyes. Brittany, on the other hand, had an angry smirk covering her face, not bothering to conceal her hatred towards Nick.

Jeff breathed out roughly as they approached. "Mother. Brittany."

"Jeffery." His mother nodded curtly, bringing her hands to cross in front of her body. She didn't so much as glance in Nick's direction. "Perhaps this would be a conversation more suited for outside of this room."

His mother began walking out of the room, not waiting for a reply. Brittany trailed just behind her.

"Right," Nick began, "if we go out the door over there, we could – "

Jeff laughed, interrupting him and earning glares of disgust from several nearby passengers. "No, Nick. We have to do this now."

He started pushing his boyfriend towards the door, his hand on the small of his back.

Nick sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright. Let's go meet our executioners then, shall we?"

"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Jeff said, moving through the doorway.

Nick raised an eyebrow at him.

Jeff cleared his throat. "Hopefully."

"Too late to back out now," Nick whispered, stepping fractionally closer to the blond.

Lydia Sterling was waiting for them several paces down the hall, a displeased look upon her face. She raised her eyebrows as they approached

"Jeffery, was that really necessary? Bringing that _boy_ in there when you could have come to see me alone? I'm sure he feels humiliated enough as it is, no need to do it further by rubbing him in everybody's faces."

Nick deflected the harsh blow in the same way he had learnt to do since he was a young child. He ignored it, wishing he could disguise it inside himself as he could on the outside.

Jeff sighed. "Mother, it seems as though you have misunderstood our visit."

She looked puzzled and had an annoyed edge to her voice. "No, Jeffery. We told you that when you had realised your foolish mistake you could come back and join us. And not a second before."

"I haven't 'come back to join you', mother. We came here today to let you know that we are in love with each other, and if you can't accept that then I can no longer be your son."

Nick raised his eyebrows. The last thing he wanted to do was create a bigger wedge between Jeff and his family.

Lydia's eyes narrowed. "_Excuse _me?"

"You heard me," Jeff straightened up and grabbed Nick's hand in his own. "I love Nick, and nothing is going to force us apart." He looked straight into his mother's eyes. "Nothing."

Brittany sighed from where she'd been leaning delicately against the wall. She stood and began making her way to them. "This again, Jeff? I'm _sure_ you love each other, and everything's lovely and peachy and whatever," she rolled her eyes sarcastically, "and that's great and well until you get over this silly little phase you're going through and realise that you have nothing left. No family, no money, no roof over your head..."

Nick raised his eyebrows, surprised she had enough steam in her to talk for that long without stopping to inspect her fingernails or split ends or something.

"...and then you'll come crawling back, begging for our forgiveness and pleading with us to take you back – "

"Brittany," Jeff's mother cut in sternly, "stop. You need to learn your place. Remember who you are."

The blonde scowled at the back of the woman's head and took a step back, sneering at Nick and Jeff.

Lydia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her fingers and closing her eyes. She looked up at her son and the boy who had clearly stolen his heart. "Look, Jeffery. This is not the outcome I'd hoped for today. There's still a few more days of this trip left," she looked into his eyes, "you _must _know what direction you are going to take. I'm afraid your father will not be in favour of any second chances."

"I know, mother."

The woman sighed, frown lines etched into her forehead. "Brittany, will you leave us for a moment, please?"

The girl narrowed her eyes but obediently walked through the nearby doors and entered the Dining Room once again.

"I'm not supposed to say this," Lydia sighed again, looking between her son and Nick.

Nick raised his eyebrows and glanced across at Jeff, who shrugged slightly.

"It has been a topic of discussion lately that your cousin Frederick has come of age, having just turned eighteen years old."

Jeff nodded, unsure of where the conversation was headed.

"Your father has been questioning your interest in the business for the last few years, Jeffery. You have rarely shown enthusiasm or contributed future business prospects, and your father is concerned that your lack of fervour will be evident if you were to take over. He is almost convinced that the company would suffer greatly at your hands."

Jeff's mouth was slightly open in shock, not believing what he was hearing. Sure, he wasn't that interested in the business, but he was always sure that that would be his future, no matter what. To realise that his father had so little faith in him came as a large blow.

"Once we docked back in America, he was planning to give you three months; to see if you could convince him that the future of the business would be secure in your hands. If he wasn't convinced, he would hand the business over to Frederick, who has undoubtedly showed great potential in the past several years, while keeping it still in the Sterling name."

Jeff's emotions were morphing from shock, to anger, to sadness. His father was willing to give up on him _that _easily? Perhaps he thought it might be a relief if Jeff did decide to go with Nick, then he would not need the hard task of telling his own son he wasn't good enough, and the future of the company would surely be in Frederick's good, capable hands.

Seeing the look on her son's face, Lydia sighed once again. "I know that's not what you wanted to hear, Jeffery. But you know that your father is a businessman, and the safety of the company is of utmost importance to him."

Nick was shocked, having heard what he just did, and he took Jeff's hand that had been hanging limply by his side and squeezed it with his own, their fingers fitting together perfectly like two pieces of a puzzle. Jeff leaned into Nick, who supported them both.

Lydia noticed this. She didn't want to, but she did. How could she not? She could see, once again, just how in love her son was with this boy. Without the need to exchange words, they were emitting more love to each other than she had seen in a very long time. She knew what was going to happen when the ship docked, and she didn't have it in her to think about it being the wrong choice. She took a deep breath.

"Like I said, Jeff. No second chances. So when we arrive in America, you need to be _absolutely_ certain, ok?"

Jeff nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Listen, Jeff," she took a step closer to him and put her hand on his arm, "do you_ understand_?"

She looked over at a confused Nick before glancing back at her son, just in time to see a flash of understanding light his eyes.

"Mother?"

"I believe your father has almost made up his mind either way. One less thing to tie you down."

Jeff shook his head, not fully wanting to believe that his own _mother _was telling him to leave with Nick. He glanced over at his boyfriend and saw a cautious hopefulness in his eyes.

Nick turned to Mrs Sterling and smiled slightly.

The woman nodded in return. "I just want you to know that I am not just suddenly completely ok with this," she looked between them, "but I know what you need to do, Jeff. You must talk to your father, though, before deciding absolutely. As much as you may doubt it sometimes, Jeffery, you are our son and we do love you."

Jeff just nodded, not wanting to be _too_ hopeful. He squeezed Nick's hand in his own.

The woman gave them another long look before walking past them in the direction of Dining Room once again.

"See you soon, son." She glanced back at the boy by his side and nodded. "Nicholas."

As she disappeared back into the room, Nick turned to Jeff.

"Did she just - ?"

Jeff nodded, dumbstruck. "Uh huh."

Nick grinned and wrapped his arms around Jeff, joy radiating off the both of them.

Jeff hugged his boyfriend back, holding on for dear life and wanting to never let go.


	27. Chapter 27

**Thank you to everyone for the favourites and alerts, and thanks to Melbi for reviewing :D**

* * *

"I can't believe that just happened."

Nick and Jeff were lying in their cabin on the bed, their shoes lying discarded on the floor. Nick's arm was around Jeff's shoulders and the blond was using Nick's upper arm as a pillow.

"Me neither." Jeff sighed and turned his head slightly to look up at Nick. "We're not out of the woods yet, though."

Nick was silent for a minute, the conversation with Jeff's mother playing over and over on repeat in his head. There was a sliver of doubt tugging at the edge of his mind, and he needed to breach the topic sooner rather than later.

"Jeff?"

"Mmm?" The blond's eyes were closed and his arm was draped across Nick's waist, his fingers scratching lightly at his side.

"I think your mother was right, you know. Once you've made a decision I doubt there'll be a chance to change your mind."

Jeff propped himself up onto his elbow and looked down at Nick, his eyebrows furrowed. "I know. What's the matter?"

Nick sighed. "I just want you to be really _sure_, that's all. Don't you want the chance to prove your father wrong, that you _can_ do it?"

"No." Jeff shook his head and smiled down at Nick. "I've made my choice, Nick. It's you. My choice is you."

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but the blond cut him off, shaking his head. He leaned over Nick and looked into his eyes. "That other stuff that my mother was talking about; I don't care about any of it. All that I care about is you."

He leaned down and placed his lips upon Nick's, the kiss tender and full of love. He poured all of his emotions into it, letting Nick feel everything that was coursing through him.

Nick smiled against Jeff's lips, extremely grateful that was his response. Of course, he had been certain that it would have been, but he'd rather ask the hard questions now then regret it later if there was any doubt in Jeff's mind.

He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist, holding him in place. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Jeff laid his head on Nick's shoulder, wrapping his arm around him. "In all truth, though, my cousin _would_ do a far better job than I would. Frederick has always been interested in business and politics unlike myself." He looked across at Nick. "If we had never met, I might have done it, you know. But as much as I despise the idea and the commitment of it, I would never want the family name to suffer because I wasn't good enough to keep the business running."

"I don't think you'd just let it go, though."

Jeff sighed. "No, probably not. It definitely wouldn't do as well as if my father or Frederick did it."

"How come I've never heard of this Frederick before?"

"There wasn't any reason to talk about him." Jeff shrugged. "I had no idea that my father was even considering him over me to run the company. It all makes sense though, I suppose."

Nick rested his head against the top of Jeff's. "I don't think you have enough faith in yourself. I'm almost certain that you'd do a better job than you think you would. You might not be the business man your father is, but you've still been brought up believing in the same values that he has."

"Maybe you're right." Jeff smiled, rolling over so he was facing Nick. "But enough about that now. My own _mother_ pretty much just gave us permission to be together. That's more than I ever thought would be possible."

Nick smiled. "Well, I wouldn't say she gave us _permission_, exactly."

"Whatever." Jeff rolled his eyes fondly.

"But I'll take whatever I can have." He moved forward to kiss the blond. "And that's you."

Jeff smiled, running his hand across Nick's flat stomach. "Seriously though, Nick. Even before today – before I realised I had a way out – I would have chosen you. I knew the first moment I saw you that my life would never be the same again."

"I know." Nick smiled. "I feel the same."

Jeff leaned in closer, his breath tickling Nick's face. "I would choose you every single time."

Nick's eyes crinkled with his smile, the gesture reaching his eyes and mixing with the love that was residing in them. He moved the top of his body over slightly and placed his hand on Jeff's waist as he kissed him.

The arm that wasn't holding Jeff up made its way into Nick's hair, and he gently gripped on to the deep brown strands as he moved his lips in time with his boyfriend's.

The door opened.

"Aww man, is this all that you guys do?"

Nick groaned, smiling at Jeff. "Don't you ever knock, Sebastian?"

"Um, excuse me," the tall boy moved over to them and sat on the end of the bed, regardless of the position they were in, "but I shouldn't have to knock. This is _my _cabin too, you know."

"Well you can't blame us if you see something you don't want to then."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and looked over at the blond. "Hey, Jeff."

"Sebastian." Jeff nodded, a smile still on his face.

Sebastian looked suspiciously between the two of them, noticing their identical smiles and lovey-dovey looks. "Alright, I'm pretty sure that I don't want to know what I've just walked in on. You two look like you've each swallowed a magical rainbow or something."

Jeff laughed softly, looking down at Nick. "No, that's not it. We just got some good news, that's all."

"Oh no." Sebastian's face morphed from suspicion into shock and he gasped. "One of you aren't _pregnant_ or something, are you? I mean, I'm pretty sure that's not even possible, considering that you're both _guys_ and you've only known each other for a few days, but these days you just never know – "

"Sebastian!" Nick scrunched up his face in disgust. "Gross!"

Jeff laughed.

"Wow, ok, that's a relief. So no pregnancy just yet. You'd better still be careful though, I heard this story once about these two guys who - "

"Sebastian!" Nick shook his head. "This is _not_ a conversation I want to be having with you."

Jeff ducked his head, avoiding Sebastian's eyes. Nick's cheeks were tinged slightly red.

"Alright." Sebastian looked between the two of them once again. "I get it. But this isn't over, you know. There is nothing to be embarrassed about."

A pillow hit him square in the face. "Get out of here!"

"Wait! You haven't even told me the good news yet." He threw the offending object back at his cousin.

Nick glared at him.

"Ok, ok, I'm going. You have to tell me sooner or later though." He smiled, standing from where he'd been sitting at the end of the bed. "I just came to let you guys know that Sam and Finn went to grab us a table for lunch, and we're meeting the other guys there. So when you've had enough of staring into each other's eyes and declaring your undying love for one another, feel free to join us there for some free food."

Nick snorted fondly. "It's not exactly free, idiot. It's included in the cost of the ticket."

Sebastian pretended to look insulted by what he said. He looked over at Jeff, who was still lying beside Nick silently. "Do you see what I have to put up with? And now you get to as well."

Jeff smiled, looking down at Nick, who smiled up at him.

"Eugh, alright, that's my cue. At least wait until I get out of the room before you start tearing each other's clothes off."

"Sebastian!"

The tall boy laughed, ducking quickly out of the room and closing the door behind him. He stuck his head back in after a moment and smiled. "Don't forget about lunch."

Nick groaned, his head falling back on the pillow. Jeff chuckled beside him, wrapping his arm around his waist once again.

"He is _impossible_." Nick laughed, rolling over to face Jeff.

"I wish I had a relative I was that close to."

"Is Frederick not really family material?" Nick smiled and rolled his ankles around in the air, stretching them.

Jeff made a face. "Um, no."

"Do you have any other cousins?"

"Well I have two more, but I've only met them a couple of times. They live on the opposite coast to us. Edward is almost twenty five I think and he's a lawyer. Sophia is the other one, she's only six years old and she's already shaping up to follow in her mother's footsteps."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Not good?"

"No. She's like the female version of my father."

"Oh." Nick was quiet for a moment.

Jeff glanced across at him and smiled. "It's alright, you know. I don't mind. My family has never been family-centric anyway. I've never known what it's like to have a big, loving family, but you can't miss something you've never had."

"I suppose so."

"But I have everything I'll ever need with you." Jeff grinned.

"Is that so?" Nick raised an eyebrow amusedly.

"Yep."

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but I don't have any money, I don't own a house, I don't have a job – "

Jeff hit him lightly on the chest. "That's not what I meant."

"I know." Nick grinned at him and kissed him softly.

He'd just settled back onto the thin mattress when his stomach grumbled loudly.

"Hmm. Seems like all that stress this morning worked me up an appetite. How about we go get some lunch?"

Jeff groaned. "Do we really have to get up?"

" 'Fraid so. Unless you want me to starve until I just disappear from right in front of you from hunger."

"You're loving the drama, aren't you?"

Nick grinned. "Well, there are a lot of times I go without food, and now you're coming with me you'll be without too. So, if you want to sit here hungry when there's _actually _food available, go right ahead. Me, on the other hand, I'm going to get some lunch."

"Wow, I think I might need to reconsider this whole thing."

Nick shot him a fake glare.

"I'm kidding." Jeff sighed, pulling himself up from the bed. "Let's go grab some tucker then."

Nick stuck out his hand and Jeff helped him up from the low bed.

"Come on, granny."

Nick looked at him and grabbed him around the waist, pushing him against the opposite bunk bed.

Jeff laughed, clutching onto Nick's own waist and letting himself be forced backwards gently.

"You watch who you call granny in the future, love."

Jeff smiled, leaning in to kiss him before pulling back and sighing.

"Come on, we need to get to lunch now. Who knows what Sebastian is imagining we're up to."

And several minutes later, judging by the smirk on the boy's face when they walked into the Dining Room, they had a pretty fair idea.


	28. Chapter 28

**Hello again! **

**I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a great new year! **

**A big thank you to Melbi and NCISfan768 for reviewing :D **

* * *

They were sitting around the table – the nine of them – with full stomachs. Lunch had a while ago finished, but they remained in the Dining Room talking and laughing and being rowdy like the young men they were.

Nick was glad to have met Thad, Blaine, David and Wes, as well as Sam and Finn. He'd never really had much in the way of friends, and he wasn't sure whether they'd _all_ keep in contact once the ship docked, but in the here and now, Nick was content.

He had Jeff by his side, and his friends surrounding him with their laughter. There was nothing else in the world he could really wish for at that point in time.

Jeff's hand was in his, and the boy's thumb was lazily drawing circles on the top of Nick's hand. He was relaxed by the feeling of it – it was Jeff's own way of telling him he was always there. Nick's spare arm was lying across the back of Jeff's chair, and they were both sitting back in their seats, their bodies angled in towards each other.

Nick looked over at Jeff and smiled, and the blond leant his head back against Nick's arm as he returned the gesture, not looking away.

Nick was truly amazed at just how _beautiful _Jeff was. His features seemed perfect, his face well proportioned. It was his eyes that got to Nick the most, though. If he could, he would undoubtedly look into them all day.

And his hands. Nick had always loved hands. They were second only to eyes in telling a person's emotions. They could give away any feeling so easily. The shake of a fist in anger or a gentle stroke down the arm in love, hands were definitely one of Nick's favourite things. Since he had met Jeff, he had learnt that there was nothing quite like the feeling of having the fingers of another threaded between your own, or the comfort of gentle hands resting upon your waist. Jeff's love was by far his favourite emotion to read with the hands.

At least, he _hoped_ that was why Jeff couldn't keep his hands off him.

Nick smiled despite himself, and it caught the attention of the blond next to him. Jeff looked over, a quizzical look upon his face.

Nick shook his head, telling Jeff not to worry about it. His boyfriend would _definitely_ think he was crazy if he told him what was going through his mind.

He closed his eyes and leant his head back, quite happy to hear the others talking around him without joining in himself. He was just beginning to think about the wonderful life he had ahead of him with Jeff when he heard a soft whisper in his ear.

"Nick?"

He opened his eyes and saw Jeff's own looking into his. He moved his head closer to the blond's. "Yeah?"

Jeff lowered his eyes shyly before looking back up at Nick. "Can you come with me?"

"You want to go?"

"Yeah." Jeff nodded.

"Alright." Nick stood, pushing himself up from the table. He pulled Jeff up with him and he let go of his hand to wrap his arm around his waist.

All eyes at the table were on them.

"We're going to go, you guys." Jeff smiled, looking around the group of friends. "We're going to do some exploring."

Sebastian choked on the water he was drinking. "I bet you are."

"Sebastian!" Nick rolled his eyes while the others laughed.

"Leave the poor guys alone, Seb." Blaine hit Sebastian on the arm closest to him.

"Yeah," Wes grinned, "they're young and in love and you're just jealous."

Sebastian just shrugged with a grin on his face. "I can't help it. They set themselves up for it, you know. Every single time."

"And you have to open your mouth and make them feel uncomfortable every single time." Sam raised an eyebrow and looked at Sebastian.

"Of course." He frowned as if it was the simplest thing on earth. "Nick's my family. It's a rite of passage. Comes in the job description, right Nicky?"

Nick looked amused. "Something like that."

Jeff shook his head, smiling at the group. "Alright. We'll catch you later on, guys."

As a chorus of goodbyes arose from the table, he took Nick's hand in his and they walked out of the Dining Room.

They walked silently towards their cabin for several moments until Nick's curiosity got the better of him.

"So," he glanced up at Jeff and nudged him with his shoulder, "what are we doing?"

Jeff smiled down at him, now slightly doubting the idea. He stopped walking, taking Nick by surprise even at their slow speed.

He looked up and down the empty passageway and then looked into his boyfriend's eyes, taking both his hands in his.

"Can you paint me a picture?"

Nick blushed at the idea. "Um, I guess so. What would you like me to paint?"

"Us." Jeff was so sure, said without a moment's hesitation. "I want you to paint a picture of us."

"Us?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, ok." Nick breathed out slowly. "Why?"

Jeff smiled. "I want to remember these few days for the rest of my life, Nick. Once we get off this boat, we're going to start a whole new chapter, and for our _whole _lives we're going to look back at this short time and reminisce about it. And while this trip's given me your love – which is more than I could ever ask for – I'd also like something else, another physical reminder, of this wonderful time. If we can ever _somehow_ find a way to have some sort of family together, I want to have something to pass down so that everyone knows how and when we first met."

Nick was watching his boyfriend in silence as he spoke, almost overwhelmed by the devotion inside him.

Jeff looked away. "You probably think it's stupid, I know. And I guess it does sound sort of crazy but I just – "

Nick cut him off, kissing him suddenly and wrapping his arms around his middle. Jeff responded by looping his arms around Nick's neck loosely and pulling them to the side of the corridor where his back came to rest against the wall.

Nick ran his hands down the blond's side gently and pulled away after several moments.

Jeff grinned. "I take it that's a yes then?"

Nick pushed Jeff more firmly against the wall, his arms still tight around his waist. "That's a big yes. Could you _be _any more perfect?"

"I'm not perfect. I've got flaws." Jeff ducked his head slightly.

Nick pushed up against him and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Not to me you don't."

Jeff smiled and leaned down to kiss Nick softly once more. "Well might I say that you're pretty perfect yourself, handsome."

Nick smiled, the idea that Jeff wanted to somehow have a family with him sitting in the front of his mind. They were only nineteen years old, and had only met just three days before, but Jeff was so certain of what he wanted. Who cares if it was virtually impossible – just the idea of it made Nick smile.

Although the possibility of them being able to do so was quite slim. Nick thought that they were both still really to have to come to terms with how they would be seen and treated when they were out in the world. Nick had never himself seen a relationship where both partners were of the same gender, but he knew that it was highly frowned upon by the large, _large_ majority of the population.

He and Jeff were still going to have to come to terms with the enormity of it.

But if Jeff wanted a family with him, Nick wouldn't be able to stop trying to get that for anything.


	29. Chapter 29

**Thanks to Melbi, AddieNiffler, Love-Three-Six and ournoisyhearts for reviewing! I loved reading each and every one of them :D **

**Sorry for the wait on the chapter, but I hope you enjoy!**

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Jeff watched as Nick's hand moved silently across the canvas, marvelling at the way his long fingers held the paintbrush but didn't grip it as he swept contours and lines onto the picture. For Nick it seemed a very natural thing to do; the way his hand moved with ease across the sheet was almost rhythmical, something he had obviously done many times before. Jeff had to almost suppress a laugh at how hopeless he would be if he was handed a paintbrush.

If he looked closely, Jeff could see the look of concentration on the other boy's face, the small furrow between his eyebrows a clean giveaway.

"Can I see it yet?"

Nick rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face as he responded. "No."

"Please?"

"My answer is still the same as when you asked the first time, and the second time, and the third time – "

"Ok, ok, I get it."

" – and the fourth time, and the fifth time." Nick grinned, his eyes not once leaving the canvas.

"Fine." Jeff relaxed back against the bed and crossed his arms. "It's fine. I can wait."

Nick rose an eyebrow. "Sure you can, love."

"Hey," Jeff pointed his finger at Nick in warning, "call me that again and the _painting_ will have to wait."

Nick laughed, his eyes glancing up to meet Jeff's quickly before focusing back on the canvas.

The blond sighed, leaning back once again with a smile on his face. It was mid afternoon and they were sitting in their cabin, surrounded by the four white walls and secured away from the rest of the world. Jeff was sprawled across their bed, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his shoes lying on the floor where they had long since been discarded.

Nick was sitting on a chair in between the two bunks beds in the room where he had been for just over an hour. He was surrounded by small paints and a variety of brushes sat soaking in a glass of water, ready to be used when they were called upon.

Nick shifted in his seat, pushing a piece of hair out of his eyes and leaving a smudge of dark paint across his forehead in the process. Jeff grinned, deciding to stay quiet about it as Nick remained oblivious.

"Hey Nick -"

"Mmm?"

" - Nicky, Nicky Bear, Nicholas, Nico – "

"You're still not looking."

Jeff pouted and sighed dramatically.

"Patience really isn't one of your strong points, is it?"

"I'm tired of being patient, Nick." Jeff smiled across at his boyfriend who looked up and met his eyes. "I've been patient for eighteen years and now I can be as eager as I want!"

"Well I'm almost done, but don't get too eager."

Jeff smiled and rolled onto his side on the bed, tucking an arm under his head as he watched Nick. Sighing in content, he closed his eyes and watched as his mind flashed back through all of the things he had experienced in the last few days. He'd met Nick – this beautiful, wonderful boy he could never even have dreamed of. He was the best, most unexpected surprise to have ever captivated Jeff in a heartbeat. And while he hadn't been expecting it – not by a long shot – Jeff couldn't bring himself to go back to thinking about the days before Nick. His heart ached painfully at just the faint _idea _of it.

Jeff had never seen true love - always being in the company of those who simply married for money or for power – but he knew that he had it. He and Nick had it together.

And there was no way he was going to let it go.

His father could simply forget about that.

"Alright, I'm done." Nick blew out a long breath and held the canvas up in his hands, checking over the final small details.

Jeff grinned and sat up on the bed, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

Nick stood from his chair and flicked his hair out of his face as he moved over to Jeff. He crouched down in front of him and rested his elbows on the blond's knees, looking into his eyes.

"Now, it's pretty rough – "

"Nick, stop! I'm sure it's amazing." Jeff smiled at him and placed his hands on Nick's arms. "You need to have a bit more faith in yourself."

Nick smiled at him and turned the canvas around for Jeff to see.

If it were possible for Jeff to love Nick more, it definitely would have happened in that moment. The canvas was a brilliant mirage of emotions; the mixture of dark and light neutral shades conveying more than any bright colour ever could.

At just a moment's glance, Jeff knew it was exactly what he'd wanted. It was just what he had in mind when he'd asked Nick to paint them, but at the same time it was still completely surprising.

What Nick had created on the canvas was a moment that Jeff was sure he'd never forget. It was the moment on the dance floor when they were looking into one another's eyes, mere moments before they'd kissed for the first time. The emotion in the painting was impossible to miss, and just looking at it made Jeff's heart swell. The painting was pictured from the side, but if it were someone looking at the scene they would have been standing slightly to the left from beside Nick. Although it was only painted from just below the shoulders and up, it was easy to tell that Jeff's hands were resting on Nick's waist and Nick's own arms were wrapped around the blond.

And the love, written on both of their faces, was amazing. The lines of their eyes and the curves of their mouths depicted a love that was as easy as breathing.

It was breathtaking.

Jeff softly took the canvas from Nick's hand and gently placed it on the bed beside him. Leaning forward, he wrapped his arms around Nick's neck and rested his chin on his shoulder, his eyes stinging with emotion.

"Thank you," he whispered, feeling Nick's arms wrap around him and find a resting place on his back.

Nick buried his nose into the side of Jeff's neck, choosing to stay silent. The deep appreciation Jeff held for his piece moved Nick in his own way, and he just wanted to be as close to Jeff as possible in that moment.

"It's beautiful, Nicky." Jeff leaned back and smiled, leaving his arms loosely around the other boy.

"I'm glad you think so."

"I do." Jeff nodded. "I'll remember this trip forever, all because of you."

"Well I'll remember it because of you."

The blond smirked playfully. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Nick raised an eyebrow in seriousness, his smile giving him away.

Jeff sighed. "Really though, thank you." He leant forward and kissed Nick briefly, his hands still lingering around Nick's shoulders.

"Hmm..." Nick narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "If that's my reward, then you are most welcome."

Jeff smiled. "You should sell your paintings. Seriously, you have no idea how good you really are." Nick glanced at him doubtfully. "You're talented."

"That," Jeff gestured to the fresh picture beside them, "is the best thing I have ever seen. I know there would be many people willing to buy your works."

Nick smiled, standing and pulling Jeff to his feet. "You _have _to say that because we're together." He smiled, bringing his hands to rest on Jeff's slim waist.

"I do not."

"Plus, you're biased."

Jeff shook his head, smirking. "I am not."

"Really?" Nick raised his eyebrows. He leaned forward and kissed Jeff softly, his lips hovering over the blond's mouth for a moment. "Well I'm very impressed that you can manage to stay objective on the matter, Mr Sterling."

Jeff slapped him on the arm.

"Hey!"

"That's for the teasing." He hit him again. "And that's for calling me Mr Sterling."

Nick grinned. "I do apologise, good sir. What name do you wish for me to identify you by, _Jeffery_?"

"_Jeff _is fine."

Nick pouted. "Not 'Pookie'? 'Snookums'? 'Sugar'?"

"Most definitely not."

Nick laughed, pulling Jeff's body towards him and wrapping his arms around his lean figure.

Jeff did the same, his hands resting lightly on the small of Nick's back.

"How about..." Nick looked thoughtful for a moment, "dear?"

Jeff crinkled his nose. "Are you a sixty year old man? No."

"I sure hope I'm not. This situation would be a _little _bit awkward if I were." He gestured to their bodies that were pressed together gently.

The blond rolled his eyes.

"Hmm," Nick drummed his fingers against Jeff's back while he thought, "how about...love?"

Jeff considered this for a moment. "Well, I guess I could come around to it."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "You guess?"

"Yeah," Jeff nodded, trying to hide his smile. "But as soon as you call me 'honey', I'm dumping your sorry self."

"I'd better remember to not do that then, I suppose."

"Yeah, I suppose you should," Jeff leaned closer so that their lips were almost touching, "because I _really_ don't want to have to do that any time soon."

Nick grinned, tightening his arms around Jeff as he leaned forward to finish what the other had started.


	30. Chapter 30

**Happy belated Australia Day to my fellow Australians! Hope you're all safe whether you're being affected by either the bushfires or the floods, or just the typical Aussie summer.**

**Thanks to ournoisyhearts, soflylikea36, embrace-the-deception, AddieNiffler and Melbi for reviewing! I love reading them :)**

**Also, we've reached Chapter 30! Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, favourited or alerted this story. I don't really have any idea how many more chapters there will be, but thank you to all who are sticking by it :D**

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"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Jeff looked sideways at Nick as if he'd asked a pointless question. "Well, _no_."

"Right. Are you sure you need to do this?"

"Yes." Jeff blew out a harsh breath. "Yes, I am sure."

Nick squeezed Jeff's hand, their fingers weaved together tightly. "Hmm, I guess that's that then."

They both stared down the deck, their eyes coming to rest upon the sturdy figure of Jeff's father as he conversed with several other men.

Jeff sighed. "I guess so."

They watched as the man farewelled two other men and began walking in their general direction in the company of a short man with a large bald spot.

Jeff rolled his eyes quickly, watching them. It was obvious they were discussing business. He'd seen his father do it enough times in his few years to last a lifetime. His shoulders were squared – as always – and when his hands weren't gesturing wildly as he explained stocks and losses and such, they were clasped firmly behind his back. This, to Jeff, always meant that his father had the upper hand in the conversation. His stance appeared casual to those watching, but to himself and any other people who happened to know him, it meant finality; a gesture that his opinions or his assets were greater than those around him.

Jeff was surprised at how often it worked for clients. Because John Sterling did it in such a relaxed, seemingly friendly manner, it had earned him the reputation of being one of the most hard working and respected businessmen in the present world, if not ever.

Jeff, being his only son, knew better.

He never denied the fact that his father didn't work hard. He did. Unfortunately for Jeff, he knew this better than anyone. But he knew that his father was not being friendly; it was an act. An act for the sake of business and the one thing that possibly meant more to him than anything else in the world:

Success.

Followed closely by money, of course. Family was even further on down the list.

Jeff had always known this. He accepted it from his father – even his mother to some extent. Before he stepped foot upon the _Titanic_ he'd rarely met a person who cared about anything different.

Money and success – the be all and end all of life.

But not _his _life.

He looked over at Nick, a small smile upon his face as he squeezed his hand tighter. "You ready?"

Nick squeezed back. "I sure hope so."

Jeff stood still as the two men approached and waited until his father saw them. He didn't let go of Nick's hand, hoping that the expression upon his face looked something like calmness.

The shorter man was speaking openly when Jeff's father looked up, spotting his son and his _friend_. Jeff noticed the instant change in expression on the man's face, his eyes narrowing slightly and his shoulders becoming – if possible – even more rigid. He subtly angled himself so that the shorter man turned his back on Nick and Jeff, unaware of their presence.

John Sterling cast the dramatic gesture of looking down at his fob watch attached to his pocket and interrupted the man.

"I'm terribly sorry, Arthur, but I was supposed to meet my wife several minutes ago to dine with the Captain."

The man's eyebrows raised, impressed he was keeping such good company.

"It was excellent speaking with you, but I must be off now." The taller man held out his hand, his eyes not straying from Arthur's face.

"Of course." He shook the hand held out to him. "Pleasure speaking with you."

John Sterling smiled warmly. "The pleasure's all mine. Good day."

With a nod the shorter man dropped his hand and walked away, back up the deck in the direction they'd come from.

John's eyes landed on his son as they narrowed. He stepped towards the two boys, sneering slightly as he saw their linked hands.

Jeff swallowed, all traces of _pleasure_ wiped from his father's face.

"Jeffery."

"Hello, father."

John cast a look of disgust at Nick. "I see you brought your..._companion_ with you."

Jeff's eyebrows raised as he looked at Nick before turning back to his father. "As a matter of fact. I did."

Nick swallowed the lump in his throat, trying to will himself to be brave enough to not look away from the man's stare.

There was a silence. The man looked at his son expectantly.

"Uh," Jeff cleared his throat, trying to rid himself of nerves. "We came to talk to you."

John clasped his hands behind his back – a gesture Jeff did not miss – as he spoke. "I've told you, Jeffery, we have nothing left to talk about."

"Yes we do." Jeff squared his shoulders and looked his father in the eye. "We have a _lot _to talk about."

"Move then."

Jeff's eyebrow's furrowed. "What?"

"If you're going to _talk_, at least move this to somewhere where not so many people can see you and your little friend here acting so childish." He waved his hand in the general direction of their clasped ones.

Jeff looked at Nick, who looked a little more than nervous, and felt his blood boil in anger towards his father.

He looked back at the man he'd looked up to for so many years.

"No."

John cocked his head to the side, his narrowed eyes narrowing even further. "_No_?"

"No. You heard me." Jeff took a small step forward, his body angling slightly in front of Nick's. "We're going to say what we need to say, and I frankly don't give a care to whoever hears." He swept his spare hand across in front of him, gesturing to the various people milling around on the deck.

Nick silently stepped up beside Jeff.

His father sneered. "This is exactly what I'm talking about, Jeffery. You come here, expecting me to listen to you when you're acting like such a child."

"No, _dad_. I'm not a child. Not anymore. After years of doing what you say and being who you want me to be, I'm done. I'm _finally _doing something for myself. And for the first time I'm not doing something you want me to do." Nick squeezed his hand gently, a gentle way of showing Jeff not to let his father get the better of him and prove him right.

Jeff took a deep breath, throwing a grateful glance at Nick. "I've had to do a _lot_ of growing up awfully quickly. I'm doing something that doesn't please you, and if you can't support me _and _Nick, then I have nothing left to say to you."

His father glanced around, his eyes passing over the passengers on the deck. He turned back to his son as he spoke.

"You're making a huge mistake, boy."

Jeff noticed absently that his father's hands were not clasped behind his back, but rather in tight fists by his side.

"This – this _scandal_, Jeffery, it will ruin us. All my years of hard work will all be for nothing, and we will be reduced to laughingstocks. I've got too many connections and far too much power for something like _this _to get in my way." He glanced at Nick who stood stoically beside his son before looking back to Jeff. "I've got a reputation to uphold, and I plan on doing so."

Jeff laughed bitterly. "And your reputation is more important than your own _son_?"

John looked at his son for a moment before simply shrugging his shoulders. "Yes."

Jeff was unsurprised by the comment, but he felt Nick go tense beside him.

"_Excuse _me?"

His father looked at Nick disdainfully. "You heard me."

The shorter boy looked furious. "Where do you get off talking to him like that?"

Jeff didn't want to silence Nick; he didn't want to take control over him as he had so often seen his father do to his mother, but he knew this situation would escalate very quickly if he didn't step in.

"Nick – "

"He's your own _son_, for goodness' sake!" Nick shook his head and looked at Jon Sterling with pity upon his face. "You should be ashamed of yourself."

"Nick – "

He turned to Jeff, his eyes pleading. "Just hang on, _please_."

"This boy here is undoubtedly one of the most amazing, selfless people I have ever met, and if you can't see that then you don't deserve him anyway."

John Sterling laughed, an ugly smirk covering his face. "And you do? You're nothing but filth. You've got no money, nothing – barely even the clothes to cover your back. And you think that _I_ don't deserve him? If anything, it's you that doesn't deserve him. "

"I know that, sir." Nick felt himself begin to reign in his anger. His mother had always taught him to be polite to his elders, and here he was, doing something that would no doubt have had her disappointed in him. "I know that. But Jeff doesn't. And I'll have him for as long as he wants me. If he let me go right now, I'd let him if I knew it would make him happier."

Jeff's eyes brimmed with tears that he would never allow his father to see. Instead, he stepped closer to Nick, their entwined hands pressing against their bodies in between them.

John spoke up, his voice slicing through the brief silence. "I forbid you to ever see this boy again, Jeffery."

Jeff looked up, a small smile on his face. "No, dad."

"One day you'll thank me for this. This situation may already have affected my relationship with my customers, and I will _not_ let you destroy anything more." He looked between the two. "When you're in my position, son, you will understand that business comes before anything else."

Nick shook his head, a sadness in his voice. "Even your own family." It wasn't a question.

John Sterling nodded. "Even your own family." He looked at Jeff. "It's for your own good, son."

"No, father, it's for _your _own good." Jeff shook his head. "And don't call me 'son' again."

He turned to Nick and pulled lightly on his hand as he began to walk away from his father.

"Jeffery! Is there something _wrong _with you? Did you not hear me?"

Jeff turned around, pulling Nick to a stop beside you. "No, I heard you. I've just got one thing left to say to you."

His father raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

"When we get off – when we _dock_ in New York, I won't be getting off with you."

"Jeffery, don't be stup – "

"No, _dad_." Jeff shook his head sharply. "I love Nick, I _love _him, and if that's not good enough for you then I never will be."

Jeff turned again, pulling Nick up beside him as they walked away, ignoring the sound of his father calling his name.


	31. Chapter 31

**Hey everyone! **

**Sorry for the extremely long wait, I can't promise that it won't happen again but I will try my best to avoid it! I started uni this year and it's taking up a lot more of my free time than I thought it would.**

**So chapter 30 also brought around the 100 review mark, and I would just like to thank every single person who takes the time to tell me what they think of this story. I love hearing feedback, and it makes me feel great when I see that there are actually people who enjoy reading it. **

**Thank you to the-daydreamer17, embrace-the-deception, Melbi and AddieNiffler for reviewing, and to those who review that I can't reply to, thank you for your lovely words! **

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Jeff let out a long breath as they found themselves once again in their empty cabin. Nick studied him silently for a moment, their fingers hooked loosely together.

"You ok?"

Jeff looked up. "Yes. No." He laughed softly. "I don't know. It doesn't matter anyway, it's done."

"Of course it matters." Nick pulled them towards their bottom bunk and sat down.

"I've left it up to him. The ball's in his court now."

Nick looked at him. "I'm proud of you, you know? The way you stood up to your father shows what a strong person you are. You're fighting for what you want."

Jeff chuckled. "Well let me know when it's all over, alright? I think I'll have a bit more pride then." He sighed softly. "When did things become so complicated?"

"Um, that was when you decided to fall in love with a _boy_." Nick leaned over, nudging Jeff's side with his own.

"Now _that _was not my fault. It was completely out of my hands." Jeff smiled and nudged him back.

"Well I am insanely glad to hear that."

They sat silently for several moments, looking around the small room. Jeff's eyes fell upon the server's uniform Nick had been wearing the night he introduced Jeff to third class partying as well as the dance they had attended in second class the previous night.

Jeff looked over at him. "You know, you never did tell me how you ended up with that server uniform."

Nick laughed. "Well, it's kind of a long story, but let's just say...Sebastian knows _a lot_ of people."

"Now why do I not find that hard to believe?" Jeff shook his head as he spoke, a smile on his face.

Nick chuckled, slipping off his shoes and crossing his legs beneath him.

Jeff turned to face him on the bed, resting his hand on Nick's knee. "Just think Nicky, a few more days and we'll be out of this place. I cannot wait."

Nick looked around, trying to hide his smile. "It's not _that_ bad. It is the biggest ocean liner in the world."

Jeff raised his eyebrows comically. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." Nick placed his hand over Jeff's on his knee and linked their fingers together. "And I can't wait either."

They sat in silent for a moment, the distant humming of the burners the only sound they could hear.

"Well, we'd better go and find the others. It'll be dinner time shortly."

Jeff sighed. "I guess it will be. This afternoon has just flown by."

Nick stood, holding a hand out to Jeff and pulling him up as well. "Well, time does fly when you're having fun."

"Fun." Jeff raised his eyebrows and smiled at Nick. "Spending the afternoon yelling at my father was fun to you, was it?"

"Fine. Time flies when you're having fun _and _being involved in family confrontations of gigantic proportions."

"Well when you put it _that_ way, how could I disagree?"

Nick looked at him sternly. "Don't use that tone with me, mister."

Jeff smiled innocently.

"Hmm..." Nick watched him thoughtfully for a moment, a smile working its way onto his face. "What am I going to do with you?"

Jeff's smile widened a bit. "I have a few ideas."

"Oh, shush." Nick hit him lightly on the arm and dragged them both to their feet. The dinner bell sounded in the distance as he began to pull on his shoes.

Reaching for his coat, Nick turned to open the door as he slipped it on, pulling his arms through the long sleeves and folding back the collar.

He had his hand on the door knob when Jeff spoke.

"Hey, Nick?"

"What?" He turned around, only to be pushed backward, his back pressed lightly against the door. Jeff's arms came around each side of him and trapped him there.

The blond smirked. "Nothing. I just really wanted to do this." He leaned in to kiss Nick, wrapping his arms around his waist as he did so and holding them both against the door.

Nick smiled into Jeff's lips, placing his arms around his neck and pulling them closer together.

This is what Nick had needed for so long. Someone to get close to, not just physically but emotionally. Without knowing it, this is what he'd needed to fill the hole in him, to make him understand what exactly the point of it all was. Since the death of his parents, Sebastian was all he had, which was not a bad thing because he couldn't ask for a better cousin and friend. And now he had Sebastian _and _Jeff.

And Nick didn't know if he'd be able to live without either of them.

Jeff pulled back slightly and made a face. "What, were you sucking on garlic cloves all through lunch?"

"Huh?"

"No, wait." Jeff pulled himself back to Nick, kissing him deeply for another few moments before pulling back abruptly. "Onions."

"What? No." Nick's hand flew to cover his mouth, trying to remember what he'd eaten recently. "All I had for lunch was – "

Jeff snickered, placing his hands on Nick's waist and pulling them back together.

Realising Jeff was just trying to stir him up, Nick leaned back against the door, effectively dragging Jeff back with him. "Oh, I see what you did there." He raised an eyebrow. "No more kisses for you then."

Jeff gasped. "I take it back! I take it back!"

"Hmm," Nick smirked, "alright then. But if it happens again, you'll be exiled from this area." He waved a hand across in front of his face and grinned at Jeff.

The blond scoffed and ran his hands up and down Nick's sides. "Please, as if you'd be able to resist this anyway."

"Mmm, I guess you're right." Nick smiled and leaned in to kiss Jeff, pushing his lips softly but surely against the others.

Jeff wrapped his arms around Nick's waist, pushing their lean bodies even closer together. He could not remember a time in his life when he'd felt so comfortable, so safe; like there was nothing in the big, bad world that could scare him. He'd never felt so safe before, but at the same time he'd never been so afraid that he was going to lose the one thing he'd quickly realised meant the whole world to him.

Nick.

Letting him go in any way, shape or form was simply not an option.

He smiled into the kiss as he felt Nick's fingers playing gently with the ends of his hair at the back of his neck. Jeff tightened his hold around Nick so that their torsos were pressed firmly together. He could feel Nick's steady – if not slightly elevated – heart beat resonate through his own body through their closeness.

All of a sudden, Jeff realised he felt hot. The stuffiness of the room, the coats they were wearing plus the combination of their body heat and the way Nick just made him feel _so _warm made him realise that he was starting to sweat. Gently pulling his lips away from Nick's, he reached his arms up to undo the buttons of his coat, before slipping it off his shoulders and throwing it behind him onto their bed. For good measure, he began to undo the top couple of buttons on his shirt to get some air onto his skin.

"Woah! Jeff, what are you doing?"

Jeff paused and looked up at Nick, confused. "Uh, taking my coat off?"

"What for?" Nick's eyes had widened slightly.

"So I can stop sweating."He raised an eyebrow and looked at Nick closely. "What's the matter? Are you alright?"

Nick's face flushed in embarrassment. Seeing Jeff throwing off his coat and quickly beginning to make work of his shirt had made Nick feel that things were about to get a bit out of hand.

And maybe a little bit exciting.

But he'd just made a fool of himself instead. Now that it had been pointed out, he was feeling a bit hot.

"Ohh," Jeff smiled, realisation dawning in his eyes as he stepping back closer to Nick, taking in his flushed face, "don't worry, Nicky. We're expected at dinner in a few minutes. Besides, I don't want to rush anything."

With that, he winked and pulled open the door, stepping into the hallway and leaving Nick to catch his breath and wonder what had just happened.


End file.
